Google Warns Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban ‘Unworkable and Risky’

Google has poured cold water on the Albanese government’s social media ban for under-16s, warning that it would be “extremely difficult to enforce” and could end up making children less safe online.

Appearing alongside Microsoft before a Senate inquiry on age verification and digital safety, Google executives argued that the plan—expected to include YouTube—would strip away existing protections built into its platforms and remove vital parental controls.