Australia has added YouTube to its list of banned social media sites for teenagers, a move that reverses a previous decision to exclude the online video platform. The decision could potentially lead to a legal challenge.
The change comes after the country’s internet regulator recommended that the government overturn the YouTube exemption. A survey cited by the regulator found that 37% of minors reported encountering harmful content on the site.
“Social media has a social responsibility and there is no doubt that Australian kids are being negatively impacted by online platforms so I’m calling time on it,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement. “I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs.”
Australia’s social media ban for teens, which is slated to come into effect in December, will now encompass a broader range of platforms. YouTube reports that nearly three-quarters of Australians aged 13–15 use the site. The company argues that it should not be classified as social media because its primary function is hosting videos.
Since the government initially announced that YouTube would be exempt due to its popularity with teachers, other platforms included in the ban, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, have voiced their concerns.
These platforms argue that YouTube shares key similarities with their products. These similarities include user interaction and content recommendations through algorithms based on user activity.
The reversal of the decision could spark a new dispute between Australia and Alphabet. In 2021, Alphabet threatened to withdraw some Google services from Australia to avoid a law requiring it to pay news outlets for content appearing in search results.
“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.
Last week, YouTube informed Reuters that it had written to the government. The purpose of the letter was “urging them to uphold the integrity of the legislative process”.
Australian media outlets have reported that YouTube threatened to challenge the ban in court. However, YouTube has not confirmed these reports.
The relevant law, passed in November, stipulates that social media platforms must take reasonable steps to keep Australians under 16 off their platforms. Failure to do so could result in fines of up to A$49.5 million.
The government is expected to receive a report this month on the testing of age-checking products. The results of this report will influence how the ban is enforced.
The inclusion of YouTube in Australia’s social media ban for teenagers marks a significant shift in the country’s approach to online safety. The government’s decision reflects growing concerns about the potential harm that social media platforms can pose to young people.
The ban, set to take effect in December, aims to protect Australian children from harmful content and ensure their well-being in the digital space. The move has been met with mixed reactions, with some praising the government’s commitment to child safety and others raising concerns about potential limitations on freedom of expression.
The decision to include YouTube in the ban underscores the evolving nature of social media and the challenges of regulating online platforms. As technology continues to advance, governments around the world are grappling with the need to balance the benefits of social media with the potential risks it poses to vulnerable populations.
The Australian government’s decision to include YouTube in the ban on social media for teenagers is a bold step that could have far-reaching implications for the future of online regulation. It remains to be seen how the ban will be implemented and enforced, and whether it will achieve its intended goal of protecting Australian children from harm.