Latest news with #AustralianGovernment
BBC News
2 hours ago
- Business
- 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?
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Australia bans YouTube accounts for children under 16 in reversal of previous stance
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian government announced YouTube will be among the social media platforms that must ensure account holders are at least 16-years-old from December, reversing a position taken months ago on the popular video-sharing service. YouTube was listed as an exemption in November last year when the Parliament passed world-first laws that will ban Australian children younger than 16 from platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and X. Communications Minister Anika Wells released rules Wednesday that decide which online services are defined as 'age-restricted social media platforms' and which avoid the age limit. The age restrictions take effect Dec. 10 and platforms will face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for 'failing to take responsible steps' to exclude underage account holders, a government statement said. The steps are not defined. Wells defended applying the restrictions to YouTube and said the government would not be intimidated by threats of legal action from the platform's U.S. owner, Alphabet Inc. 'The evidence cannot be ignored that four out of 10 Australian kids report that their most recent harm was on YouTube,' Wells told reporters, referring to government research. 'We will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the wellbeing of Australian kids.' Children will be able to access YouTube but will not be allowed to have their own YouTube accounts. YouTube said the government's decision 'reverses a clear, public commitment to exclude YouTube from this ban.' 'We share the government's goal of addressing and reducing online harms. 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 statement said, noting it will consider next steps and engage with the government. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia would campaign at a United Nations forum in New York in September for international support for banning children from social media. 'I know from the discussions I've had with other leaders that they are looking at this and they are considering what impact social media is having on young people in their respective nations,' Albanese said. 'It is a common experience. This is not an Australian experience." Last year, the government commissioned an evaluation of age assurance technologies that was to report last month on how young children could be excluded from social media. The government had yet to receive that evaluation's final recommendations, Wells said. But she added the platform users won't have to upload documents such as passports and driver's licenses to prove their age. 'Platforms have to provide an alternative to providing your own personal identification documents to satisfy themselves of age,' Wells said. 'These platforms know with deadly accuracy who we are, what we do and when we do it. And they know that you've had a Facebook account since 2009, so they know that you are over 16." Exempt services include online gaming, messaging, education and health apps. They are excluded because they are considered less harmful to children. The minimum age is intended to address harmful impacts on children including addictive behaviors caused by persuasive or manipulative platform design features, social isolation, sleep interference, poor mental and physical health, low life-satisfaction and exposure to inappropriate and harmful content, government documents say. Rod Mcguirk, The Associated Press Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Australia adds YouTube to platforms covered by world-first ban on social media for teenagers
Australia announced on Wednesday that it would include YouTube in its ban on social media access for teenagers, reversing an earlier decision to exempt the Alphabet-owned video-sharing platform. The reversal could trigger a legal challenge. The ban, set to take effect in December, seeks to protect minors from harmful content and algorithm-driven exposure. The latest decision came after the internet regulator asked the government last month to overturn the YouTube carve-out, citing a survey that found 37 per cent of minors reported harmful content on the site, the worst showing for a social media platform. The prime minister said his government was standing with parents and prioritising child safety online. 'I am calling time on it,' Anthony Albanese said, stating that Australian children were being negatively affected by social media platforms. 'I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs.' While YouTube claims it's a video sharing platform, critics argue it functions similarly to banned apps like Instagram and TikTok. '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. 'We have written directly to the government, urging them to uphold the integrity of the legislative process and protect the age-appropriate experiences and safeguards we provide for young Australians.' Other social media platforms had criticised the earlier decision to exempt YouTube from the ban, arguing that it functioned similarly to them by promoting user interaction and algorithm-based content. TikTok had described it as a 'sweetheart deal'. Although YouTube will now be included in the ban for users under 16, parents and teachers can still show videos to minors. The decision to include YouTube in the under-16 social media ban reflects growing concern over AI-driven misinformation and big tech's influence, according to cybersecurity expert Adam Marre. 'The Australian government's move to regulate YouTube is an important step in pushing back against the unchecked power of big tech and protecting kids,' he told Reuters. Mr Albanese had earlier asserted that the policy would be made independently of any corporate threats. 'The minister will make these assessments,' he told ABC TV on Sunday, 'independent of any of these threats that're made by the social media companies. I say to them that social media has a social responsibility. There's no doubt that young people are being impacted adversely in their mental health by some of the engagement with social media and that is why the government has acted.' The decision was set to heighten tensions with Alphabet, which previously threatened to withdraw services over regulatory disputes. Federal communications minister Anika Wells vowed not to be swayed by legal threats as the Albanese government awaited a report on age-verification tools that could shape enforcement of the ban. 'I will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the well-being of Australian kids,' Ms Wells told the parliament on Wednesday.
The Independent
7 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Australia adds YouTube to platforms covered by world-first ban on social media for teenagers
Australia announced on Wednesday that it would include YouTube in its ban on social media access for teenagers, reversing an earlier decision to exempt the Alphabet -owned video-sharing platform. The reversal could trigger a legal challenge. The ban, set to take effect in December, seeks to protect minors from harmful content and algorithm-driven exposure. The latest decision came after the internet regulator asked the government last month to overturn the YouTube carve-out, citing a survey that found 37 per cent of minors reported harmful content on the site, the worst showing for a social media platform. The prime minister said his government was standing with parents and prioritising child safety online. 'I am calling time on it,' Anthony Albanese said, stating that Australian children were being negatively affected by social media platforms. 'I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs.' While YouTube claims it's a video sharing platform, critics argue it functions similarly to banned apps like Instagram and TikTok. '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. 'We have written directly to the government, urging them to uphold the integrity of the legislative process and protect the age-appropriate experiences and safeguards we provide for young Australians.' Other social media platforms had criticised the earlier decision to exempt YouTube from the ban, arguing that it functioned similarly to them by promoting user interaction and algorithm-based content. TikTok had described it as a 'sweetheart deal'. Although YouTube will now be included in the ban for users under 16, parents and teachers can still show videos to minors. The decision to include YouTube in the under-16 social media ban reflects growing concern over AI-driven misinformation and big tech's influence, according to cybersecurity expert Adam Marre. 'The Australian government's move to regulate YouTube is an important step in pushing back against the unchecked power of big tech and protecting kids,' he told Reuters. Mr Albanese had earlier asserted that the policy would be made independently of any corporate threats. 'The minister will make these assessments,' he told ABC TV on Sunday, 'independent of any of these threats that're made by the social media companies. I say to them that social media has a social responsibility. There's no doubt that young people are being impacted adversely in their mental health by some of the engagement with social media and that is why the government has acted.' The decision was set to heighten tensions with Alphabet, which previously threatened to withdraw services over regulatory disputes. Federal communications minister Anika Wells vowed not to be swayed by legal threats as the Albanese government awaited a report on age-verification tools that could shape enforcement of the ban. 'I will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the well-being of Australian kids,' Ms Wells told the parliament on Wednesday.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Australia bans YouTube accounts for children under 16 in reversal of previous stance
Australia-Social-Media MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian government announced YouTube will be among the social media platforms that must ensure account holders are at least 16-years-old from December, reversing a position taken months ago on the popular video-sharing service. YouTube was listed as an exemption in November last year when the Parliament passed world-first laws that will ban Australian children younger than 16 from platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and X. Communications Minister Anika Wells released rules Wednesday that decide which online services are defined as 'age-restricted social media platforms' and which avoid the age limit. The age restrictions take effect Dec. 10 and platforms will face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for 'failing to take responsible steps' to exclude underage account holders, a government statement said. The steps are not defined. Wells defended applying the restrictions to YouTube and said the government would not be intimidated by threats of legal action from the platform's U.S. owner, Alphabet Inc. 'The evidence cannot be ignored that four out of 10 Australian kids report that their most recent harm was on YouTube,' Wells told reporters, referring to government research. 'We will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the wellbeing of Australian kids.' Children will be able to access YouTube but will not be allowed to have their own YouTube accounts. YouTube said the government's decision 'reverses a clear, public commitment to exclude YouTube from this ban.' 'We share the government's goal of addressing and reducing online harms. 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 statement said, noting it will consider next steps and engage with the government. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia would campaign at a United Nations forum in New York in September for international support for banning children from social media. 'I know from the discussions I've had with other leaders that they are looking at this and they are considering what impact social media is having on young people in their respective nations,' Albanese said. 'It is a common experience. This is not an Australian experience." Last year, the government commissioned an evaluation of age assurance technologies that was to report last month on how young children could be excluded from social media. The government had yet to receive that evaluation's final recommendations, Wells said. But she added the platform users won't have to upload documents such as passports and driver's licenses to prove their age. 'Platforms have to provide an alternative to providing your own personal identification documents to satisfy themselves of age,' Wells said. 'These platforms know with deadly accuracy who we are, what we do and when we do it. And they know that you've had a Facebook account since 2009, so they know that you are over 16." Exempt services include online gaming, messaging, education and health apps. They are excluded because they are considered less harmful to children. The minimum age is intended to address harmful impacts on children including addictive behaviors caused by persuasive or manipulative platform design features, social isolation, sleep interference, poor mental and physical health, low life-satisfaction and exposure to inappropriate and harmful content, government documents say. Solve the daily Crossword
