Why YouTube is opposing Australia's social media ban for teens
What's the story
YouTube has warned that Australia's new laws to block teens from its platform could make children less safe. The company said the legislation would strip away its "robust parental controls," leaving parents unable to supervise their teen or tween's account. The warning comes as the country prepares for a social media ban for those under 16, starting December 10.
Platform's stance
YouTube's response to Australia's new social media laws
YouTube said that while it would comply with the new law, it undermined over a decade of work in building "robust protections and parental controls that families rely on for a safer YouTube experience." Rachel Lord, Public Policy Senior Manager at Google and YouTube Australia, said the law wouldn't make kids safer online. Instead, it would actually make Australian children less safe on YouTube.
Feature changes
YouTube's parental controls and default wellbeing settings
From December 10, anyone under 16 will be automatically signed out of their YouTube account. This means they can't upload content or post comments on videos. The platform's Kids app isn't included in the ban. Further, default wellbeing settings such as reminders to take a break or go to bed won't be available for children as these only work for account holders.
Potential lawsuit
YouTube's parent company considers legal action
Google, the parent company of YouTube, is said to be considering a legal challenge against the platform's inclusion in the ban. The Australian government had previously exempted YouTube from this ban in July but reversed its decision, after finding that children aged 10-15 frequently encountered "harmful content" on the platform.
Ban details
Australia's social media ban targets multiple platforms
The social media ban, which falls under the Social Media Minimum Age Act, also targets Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, Twitch, Threads, Reddit, as well as Kick. Tech companies can face fines of up to A$49.5 million if they fail to comply with age restrictions. They will have to delete existing accounts and prevent new ones from being created as well as stopping any workarounds.