Australia has reversed its decision to grant YouTube an exemption from its sweeping ban on social media for children under 16.

Australia will use landmark social media laws to ban children under 16 from video-streaming site YouTube, a top minister said Wednesday stressing the need to shield them from "predatory algorithms."

Australia said it will add YouTube to sites covered by its world-first ban on social media for teenagers, reversing an earlier decision to exempt the Alphabet-owned video-sharing site and potentially setting up a legal challenge.

YouTube was excluded from the initial list of properties covered by Australia's under-16 ban, but that has changed.

: ‘We want kids to know who they are before platforms assume who they are’ says Minister

The Australian government has announced YouTube will be required to ensure account holders are at least 16 years old starting in December.