Australia to include YouTube in under-16 social media ban

CANBERRA, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Australia will include YouTube in its world-first social media ban for children younger than 16 after initially granting the platform an exemption, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced.

Albanese and Anika Wells, the minister for communications, said at a press conference in Canberra on Wednesday that the federal government has accepted a recommendation from its online safety regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, to include YouTube in the social media ban.

YouTube was initially granted an exemption from the ban, which will come into effect from Dec. 10, due to its education and health content, but eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said in formal advice to the government in June that the platform exposes children to harmful content.

Albanese said on Wednesday that the government is prepared to "take action" against social media platforms that cause social harm.

"We know this is not the only solution and there's more to do. But it will make a difference," he said.

Wells said that the decision to include YouTube in the ban was about "prioritizing parents ahead of platforms."

The announcement comes after YouTube, and parent company Google, earlier in July threatened legal action on constitutional grounds against any move by the government to remove the platform's exemption.

Wells said on Wednesday that the government would not be intimidated by technology companies.

"We can't control the ocean but we can police the sharks and that is why we will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the well-being of Australian kids," she said.

In a statement released through Google, a spokesperson for YouTube said that the decision reverses a clear and public commitment to exclude the platform from the ban and that the company will consider its next steps.

Wells said on Wednesday that the government is awaiting the final recommendations from a trial of age assurance technology before providing clarification on how the ban will be rolled out. Enditem