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Australia's internet watchdog and YouTube clash over under-16 social media ban
The dispute centers on a government decision to exempt YouTube from the impending ban, which would prohibit social media platforms from allowing users under 16 - making Australia the first country globally to enforce such a rule.
YouTube - owned by Alphabet - was initially granted a waiver due to its educational and health content, according to the centre-left government.
Australia's ambitious push to become the first country to penalize social media platforms for allowing underage users has sparked a public standoff between its internet safety watchdog and YouTube, ahead of the law's planned rollout in December, according to a Reuters report.
On Tuesday, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant urged the Albanese government to reverse its proposed exemption for YouTube from the upcoming teen social media ban.
The legislation, which has drawn global attention, seeks to bar users under 16 from accessing social platforms and impose fines on companies that fail to comply.
YouTube - owned by Alphabet - was initially granted a waiver due to its educational and health content, according to the centre-left government. However, Iman Grant dismissed that rationale, arguing that YouTube was actually the most frequently cited platform for harmful content by children.
Citing internal research, the Commissioner told the National Press Club in Sydney that 37% of children aged 10 to 15 reported encountering harmful material on YouTube, higher than on Meta's Facebook and Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat, the report added.
YouTube responded in a strongly worded blog post, accusing the commissioner of issuing "inconsistent and contradictory advice."
Rachel Lord, YouTube's public policy manager for Australia and New Zealand, pointed to government-commissioned research showing that 69% of parents consider the platform suitable for children under 15, the report added.
A spokesperson for Communications Minister Anika Wells said the minister is reviewing the regulator’s latest advice.
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