Google Urges Australia to Exclude YouTube from Child Social Media Ban
(MENAFN) Google has warned it may pursue legal action if the Australian government reverses its prior decision to exclude YouTube from a groundbreaking social media ban aimed at protecting children under 16.
In a letter addressed to Communications Minister Anika Wells, senior executives from Google and YouTube’s Australian branch indicated the company is "considering its legal options" should the federal government decide to include YouTube in the ban.
The correspondence, disclosed by media publications, asserts that YouTube functions as a video streaming service rather than a social media platform. The letter also suggests any attempt to impose the ban on YouTube could face constitutional challenges.
Starting this December, platforms such as Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat will be mandated to implement "reasonable steps" to block users under 16 from creating or accessing accounts.
Originally, the government exempted YouTube due to its educational and health-related content. However, the eSafety Commissioner, Australia's chief online safety authority, declared in June that no platform should be excluded from the ban.
When questioned on Monday about Google's legal threat, Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek affirmed the government’s resolve, stating it would not be "bullied" by tech corporations.
"We will do whatever we have to make sure Australian kids are kept safe," she told the media.
"We're not going to be bullied out of taking action by any social media giant."
Earlier this year in March, Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat submitted formal objections to the government, opposing the exemption granted to YouTube.
Platforms that fail to stop children under 16 from accessing their social media services once the ban is enforced risk fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (approximately 32.8 million U.S. dollars).
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