Irish Examiner view: YouTube ban a challenge to platforms

From the scraping of personal data to exposing the vulnerable to bullying on a scale never seen before, these platforms have inflicted havoc on young people and children for years

The move has not pleased Google-owned YouTube, but Australia’s communications minister has simply pointed to that country’s e-safety commissioner statement.

Australia has announced a ban on children having their own YouTube channels starting this December, rowing back on an earlier decision to exempt the video-sharing platform from its social media restrictions for under 16s.

The move has not pleased Google-owned YouTube, which has pointed to that earlier exemption amid suggestions it may yet take legal action, but Australia’s communications minister has simply pointed to that country’s e-safety commissioner statement that YouTube should be included in the ban because it poses a threat to young people. They will still be able to watch videos, but not upload or interact with content.