Head of YouTube Pushed Back on Australian Social Media Ban
Synopsis
Last year Australian Communications Minister Michelle Rowland announced Australia would be banning social media for children under 16 years old. Just 48 hours before the announcement, Youtube’s chief executive personally emailed Rowland in an…
Last year Australian Communications Minister Michelle Rowland announced Australia would be banning social media for children under 16 years old. Just 48 hours before the announcement, Youtube’s chief executive personally emailed Rowland in an attempt to escape the Australian social media ban.
On November 21 Rowland announced that Youtube would be excluded from the ban. This announcement came as a surprise to many, since just a week earlier she had said that Youtube could be one of the services to be banned.
Previously Unreleased Emails Show Lobbying Attempt
The Guardian Australia is now reporting on the previously unreleased emails from Youtube. The emails, obtained under the freedom of information laws, show a strong lobbying attempt. Neal Mohan, Youtube chief executive, sent emails to Rowland on November 19, just two days before her announcement about the company’s exemption.
In the emails, Mohan argued that Youtube was working to make the site safer for children. Additionally, he said the ability to watch Youtube on a TV rather than a mobile device made it different from other platforms.
“As CEO, I’ve directed my teams to further invest in ways to ensure our platform is a safe and enriching place for kids and teens,” said Mohan.
Rowland’s Broad Definition Exempts Youtube
The FoI documents also showed that Google, a fellow Alphabet subsidiary, provided amendments that could essentially exempt Youtube from the Australian social media ban. Ultimately Rowland’s office decided on a broad definition for what constitutes social media. The definition includes exclusions.
After the bill passed in December, Rowland responded to Mohan stating that “a re-elected Labor government” would “give effect to this definitional exclusion for YouTube video streaming services, including YouTube Kids”.
Suspicious Communication
A spokesperson for Rowland said her office made the decision to exempt Youtube in November. However, a TikTok spokesperson said these FoI emails raise suspicions about the communication between the minister and the head of Youtube.
“It is astounding that the minister met with the Wiggles, but still hasn’t sought the independent advice of the eSafety Commissioner.”
Sources:
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