By Renju Jose
March 4, 2025 – 6:19 AM PST
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SYDNEY, March 5 (Reuters) – Tech giants Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms (META.O), Snapchat (SNAP.N) and TikTok have urged Australia to reconsider a decision to exempt Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) YouTube from its laws banning social media for children younger than 16.
The landmark legislation setting some of the world’s most stringent limits on social media was approved by Australia’s parliament in November, forcing such firms to bar log-ins by minors, or pay fines of up to A$49.5 million ($31 million).
YouTube stands to be exempted from the ban set to take effect by the end of the year as it is considered a key educational tool and is the only service allowed for children as part of a family account with parental supervision rights.
But Meta…
