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.

Australia bans YouTube from social media for teens, citing harmful content, with fines for breaking the law.

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

Australia said on Wednesday it will include Alphabet-owned YouTube in its world-first ban on social media for teenagers, reversing an earlier decision to exempt the video-sharing platform.

The Australian government says the world-first ban is aimed at protecting youth from online harm.

July 30 (UPI) -- The Australian government has announced that YouTube will be included in new legislation that bans children under the age of 16 from using social media.

Australia said on Wednesday 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. The decision came after the internet regulator urged the government last month to…

Australia expands its world-first social media ban for children under 16 to include YouTube, aiming to protect teens from harmful online content. Platforms face hefty fines for non-compliance starting December.

YouTube will be added to a list of social media platforms banned for under-16s in Australia, reversing a previous decision to exempt the video-sharing site.

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

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian government announced YouTube will be among the social media platforms that must ensure account holders are at least 16-years-old from December, reversing a position taken months ago on the popular video-sharing service. YouTube was listed as an exemption in November last year when the Parliament passed world-first laws that […]

SYDNEY (July 30): 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”. Communications Minister Anika Wells said four-in-ten Australian children had reported viewing harmful content on YouTube, one of the most visited websites in theRead More