Meta, TikTok no-shows at inquiry into social media ban

A parliamentary committee will look to exercise its powers to force the companies to appear and give evidence, a senator said.

A public hearing was held on Monday as part of a Senate committee's inquiry into the government's upcoming ban on under-16s using social media and the online safety code for search engines.

In attendance were representatives from YouTube, Google and Microsoft.

Committee chair and Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young told the committee that all major social media companies had been asked to attend.

"I just want to put on the record that we did also request that Meta, Snapchat and TikTok appear today," she said.

"They so far have refused, and the Senate committee ... will be discussing what we will do.

"I, for one, think that we should be using the powers of the Senate to subpoena their appearance ... willing or not, there'll be more on that later."

Meanwhile, Communications Minister Anika Wells is holding talks with Meta, Snapchat, YouTube and TikTok this week, to reiterate the government's expectations ahead of the social media ban taking effect on December 10.

Liberal senator Sarah Henderson said the absence of major social media firms at the hearing was disappointing and something the committee took very seriously.

"It's simply not good enough, particularly when we read of media reports which suggest that TikTok and Meta are today meeting with the Minister for Communications," she told the committee.

Senator Hanson-Young later confirmed to the media that Meta, TikTok and Snapchat had declined two requests to appear at the hearing.

She said the committee would use its powers to ensure the social media companies answer questions before the ban comes into effect.

"We will force those tech platforms to front the Senate committee well before December 10," she said.

"It'll happen, because it must happen."

Giving evidence to the committee, YouTube senior manager of government affairs and public policy Rachel Lord said the company still considered itself not a social media platform.

The government had initially planned to exempt YouTube from its ban on under-16 social media use.

But it reversed the decision in late July, saying the platform would be required to comply with the age restrictions.

This was despite Google, the owner of YouTube, threatening a legal challenge to the ban on the grounds that it restricted the implied constitutional freedom of political communication.

On Monday, Ms Lord said YouTube was concerned the social media ban was "not going to deliver on its objectives of keeping kids safe online".

"We're also concerned that we are taking away the ability of parents to make decisions about what's right for them and their families, and again, we think that's an unfortunate outcome of this legislation," she said.

Pressed on whether YouTube would seek an exemption from the laws, Ms Lord was adamant the platform should not be included.

"With or without the exemption, YouTube is not a social media platform and the way our service operates and the way people use it is fundamentally different," she said.

"It's our view that we see ourselves as out of scope of this legislation, because we are not a social media service.

"We've communicated that to the government and we'll continue to engage with them constructively."

Ms Lord would not comment on whether YouTube would fight its inclusion in the social media laws through the courts.