Facebook and Instagram parent companyMeta Platforms,Snapchat,TikTokand other tech companies are calling on the Australian government to reconsider its decision to exemptYouTubefrom its landmark legislation banning social media access for children under 16.
As per news agency Reuters, competitors argue that YouTube exposes children to the same risks as other platforms, including algorithmic content recommendations, social interaction features, and potentially harmful content.
The law, passed in November, requires social media platforms to bar logins by minors or face hefty fines of up to A$49.5 million ($31 million). YouTube was exempted from this law based on its classification as an educational tool and its allowance within family accounts with parental supervision.
Meta said that Meta said a young person with a YouTube account also experiences exposure to harmful content.
“YouTube’s exemption is at odds with the purported reasons for the law and we call on the government to ensure equal application of the law across all social media services,” Meta stated in a blog post.
TikTok expressed concerns that exempting YouTube would create an “illogical, anticompetitive, and short-sighted” law, urging consistency across all platforms.
Snapchat echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for fair and impartial application of exclusions.
“There must be a fair and impartial application of exclusions and all services should be held to the same standard,” Snap Inc said.
Meanwhile, YouTube has maintained that its moderation efforts are becoming more robust and that it has broadened its definition of harmful content detected by its automated systems.