The eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has urged the Albanese government to reconsider exempting YouTube from a forthcoming ban on under-16s using social media. The ban is set for December 2025, but questions arise over age verification technology effectiveness. Inman Grant highlighted the risks posed by features like stories and streaks, suggesting that current regulations are insufficient. Despite prior government indications, YouTube remains exempted following lobbying, raising concerns about the inconsistencies of this exemption in relation to the intent of the online safety law.
"Given the known risks of harm on YouTube, the similarity of its functionality to other online services, and without sufficient evidence demonstrating that YouTube predominately provides beneficial experiences for children under 16, providing a specific carve out for YouTube appears to be inconsistent with the purpose of the Act."
"The under-16s ban will come into effect in December 2025... despite questions over how designated online platforms would verify users' ages, and the government's own age assurance trial reporting last week that current technology is not guaranteed to be effective."
"Although then communications minister Michelle Rowland initially indicated YouTube would be part of the ban... the regulations specifically exempted the Google-owned video site after Rowland said it was among online services that helped young people access education and health support."
"In new advice to the communications minister, Anika Wells, Inman Grant warned that large online platforms were weakening their policies designed to reduce harm, and said YouTube should be included in the social media ban."
Collection
[
|
...
]