YouTube attacks Australia’s world-first social media ban

YouTube yesterday attacked Australia's looming social media ban for under-16s as rushed, but the government called the policy a shield to protect children from "predatory" algorithms.

From December 10, Australia will require a raft of major social media platforms and websites, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, to remove underage accounts or face a hefty fine.

There is keen interest in whether the sweeping world-first restrictions can work, as regulators around the globe wrestle with the potential harmful effects for young people.

US video streaming giant YouTube was originally slated to escape the ban so children could watch educational clips.

But the Australian government changed tack in July, saying young users needed to be shielded from "predatory algorithms".

"This law will not fulfil its promise to make kids safer online, and will, in fact, make Australian kids less safe on YouTube," the company's public policy manager Rachel Lord said in a statement.