Exclusive: TikTok claims Silicon Valley rival got ‘sweetheart deal’ from government after Michelle Rowland made surprise policy shift
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YouTube’s global chief executive personally lobbied the communications minister, Michelle Rowland, for an exemption from the federal government’s under-16s social media ban, less than 48 hours before Rowland announced the Alphabet-owned company would escape the ban.
On 21 November, when legislation to ban children under 16 from social media services in Australia was introduced into parliament, Rowland surprised the industry in declaring that YouTube, and services that have “a significant purpose to enable young people to get the education and health support they need”, would be excluded.
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