YouTube will be included in Australia's world-first social media ban for children under 16, after the government ditched a previous exemption for the platform. The video sharing site was set to be excluded from the ban - which will limit TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and Snapchat and is due to start in December.

Australia said on Wednesday it will add YouTube to sites covered by its world-first ban on social media for teenagers, reversing an earlier decision to exempt the Alphabet-owned video-sharing site and potentially setting up a legal challenge.

STORY: "Importantly, following advice from the eSafety Commissioner, young people under the age of 16 will not be able to have accounts on YouTube.”Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday that the government will include YouTube in its world-first ban on social media for teenagers.