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BBC News
11 minutes ago
- BBC News
YouTube: Is Australia banning under 16s a good or bad idea?
Last year the Australian government introduced plans to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media - but it has now been announced this will also include had originally been said that the video-sharing site would be excluded from the ban, which will affect the use of TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and Snapchat and is due to start in ban won't make it impossible for under 16s to view YouTube videos, as they can watch on someone else's profile or without signing in - but they won't be allowed to have an account and can't upload content or interact on the ban means that tech companies will need to deactivate existing accounts and stop any new accounts that break the rules from being set they don't, they will have to pay a fine of up to A$50m (£25.7m). Why has YouTube now been added to the social media ban? The change comes after Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant recommended YouTube be added to the list last said it was "the most frequently cited platform" where children aged 10 to 15 years are able to view "harmful content".But YouTube, owned by Google, has argued it shouldn't be blocked for children, as the platform "offers benefit and value to younger Australians".Speaking on Wednesday after the news was announced, the company said that YouTube is "not social media," and said it will "consider next steps" and "continue to engage" with the government. The government has also decided not to include "online gaming, messaging, education and health apps" as it has said they "pose fewer social media harms to under 16s".This new law will come in effect in us know in the comments what you think about this. Do you think it's right that Australia are including YouTube in the ban?
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Australia to ban children from YouTube
Australia will ban teenagers and children from having accounts on YouTube as part of a contentious new law to restrict access to social media sites. In a move not dissimilar to Britain's online safety act, Australia passed a law in November which requires 'reasonable steps' by social media platforms to keep out Australians younger than 16, or face a fine of up to A$49.5 million (£24 million). YouTube had been exempt from the sweeping social media law, but Australia's internet regulator urged the government last month to include the site, citing a survey that found 37 per cent of minors reported harmful content on the platform. 'I'm calling time on it,' Anthony Albanese said in a statement highlighting that Australian children were being negatively affected by online platforms, and reminding social media of their social responsibility. 'I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs,' the prime minister said. The law is due to come into force in December. Social media restrictions in the UK In Britain, every child in the UK under the age of 13 must be barred from social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and X, Peter Kyle has said. In an interview with The Telegraph, the Technology Secretary said he was aiming for '100 per cent' enforcement of the new laws, which came into force last Friday, requiring tech firms to block children aged under 13 from their platforms. He said he 'expected' the estimated 1.8 million children aged eight to 12 in the UK who already have social media accounts to be removed from the sites. All companies that host pornography on Friday introduced robust and 'highly effective' age checks to prevent any child under 18 accessing the content. YouTube not 'classified as social media' YouTube says it is used by nearly three-quarters of Australians aged 13 to 15, and should not be classified as social media because its main activity is hosting videos. 'Our position remains clear: YouTube is a video sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens. It's not social media,' a YouTube spokesperson said by email. The government said in 2024 it would exempt YouTube, due to its popularity with teachers, but platforms covered by the ban – such as Meta's Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok – have complained. They say YouTube has key similarities to their products, including letting users interact and recommending content through an algorithm based on activity. The ban outlaws YouTube accounts for those younger than 16, allowing parents and teachers to show videos on it to minors. 'Teachers are always curators of any resource for appropriateness (and) will be judicious,' said Angela Falkenberg, president of the Australian Primary Principals Association, which supports the ban. 'I will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the well-being of Australian kids,' Communications Minister Anika Wells told parliament on Wednesday.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
What the Australian under-16 YouTube ban means
Australia has announced it will include YouTube in its ban on social media access for teenagers, reversing an earlier exemption. The ban, set to commence in December, aims to protect minors from harmful content and algorithm-driven exposure, following a survey indicating high rates of harmful content on YouTube. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese affirmed the government 's commitment to child safety online, stating they would not be swayed by threats from social media companies. YouTube maintains it is a video-sharing platform, not social media, and has urged the Australian government to reconsider its decision. The move reflects increasing concerns over AI-driven misinformation and the unchecked power of large technology firms, with the Federal Communications Minister vowing not to be intimidated by legal challenges.
