Warning, this article contains mention of suicide.
Google has stepped up its street brawl with the Australian government over YouTube’s inclusion in the teen social media ban law with a last-minute cancellation of the tech giant’s annual event set to go ahead tonight.
The annual “Google at Parliament House” event was set to go ahead on Wednesday night, just hours after the Albanese government had held a press conference to broadcast its decision to force YouTube to restrict accounts on the video-sharing platform from Australians under the age of 16.
But this afternoon, Google sent out an email telling attendees that it had decided to postpone the event “out of respect for the grieving families who have gathered in Parliament House today”.
The government’s press conference featured parents who spoke about their children who had suicided.
Shortly after the government’s decision was first announced last night, a YouTube spokesperson said it rejected its classification as “social media”.
“The government’s announcement today reverses a clear, public commitment to exclude YouTube from this ban. We will consider next steps and will continue to engage with the government,” they said in a statement.
Tonight’s event was reportedly set to feature some of YouTube’s child-focused entertainers as part of the showcase, which promotes the tech company’s products.
Google’s snub is the latest response in the public fight over the law, which has previously included threats to potentially sue the government over its inclusion.
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