This is a necessary protection for Australian children who face real harm online. Research shows 40% of kids report experiencing harm on YouTube, from violent content to dangerous challenges that can lead to tragic outcomes. The government stands with families against tech giants that prioritize profits over child safety, refusing to be intimidated by legal threats from companies that have failed to adequately protect young users from harmful algorithms and content.
YouTube serves as a vital educational resource that shouldn't be lumped together with traditional social media platforms. The platform provides free, high-quality academic content widely used in classrooms and by parents, making it fundamentally different from interaction-focused social networks. The government has broken its clear public commitment to exclude YouTube, potentially restricting children's access to valuable learning materials.
There's a 2% chance that the U.S. will break up Google before Jan. 1, 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.