‘Legitimate concern’: Should we regulate YouTube’s algorithm?

Video-sharing website, YouTube, began 20 years ago with a 19 second video of one of its founders at the San Diego Zoo.

Now, hundreds of hours of content are uploaded to the platform every single minute.

There has been a huge shift globally to reign in the social media giants -the UK has introduced age verifications requirements, with Australia to follow suit by the end of the year. Other countries like India, Germany, Spain, Italy and Norway are also investigating exactly how to better protect kids online.

So, should algorithms like YouTube's be regulated? And how would we even do it?

Today on The Front Page, Victoria University of Wellington Associate Professor Dr Peter Thompson is with us to discuss what New Zealand should do – and whether we're already fighting a losing battle against harmful online content.

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You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee

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