Australia adds YouTube to teen social media ban, tearing up exemption

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.

The decision came after the country’s internet regulator last week urged the government to overturn a YouTube carve-out, citing a survey that found 37% of minors reported seeing harmful content on the site.

“Social media has a social responsibility and there is no doubt that Australian kids are being negatively…