🔗 Share this article

The Australian controversial policy to prohibit social media access for those under 16 is creating waves worldwide. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

European Momentum

In Europe, a rising number of nations are moving toward comparable restrictions.

• The Danish government plans a ban on social media for under-15s, with the prime minister arguing that mobile devices and apps are "stealing our children's youth". The policy could be enacted next year.
• The Norwegian government is preparing to implement a minimum age limit of 15, citing the need to protect the young from the "influence of the AI".
• Ireland is working on a digital wallet to verify the user details of social media users. The media minister have suggested that an similar ban remains "one of the tools on the table".
• In The Spanish government, the leader has asked the legislature to pass a proposal raising the legal age for using social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has proposed a ban for those under fifteen, and a government panel has recommended a comparable action, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in the Netherlands has advised parents to prevent their children from social media until 15.

Across the European Union, the European parliament has approved a symbolic resolution supporting a ban for minors without a parent decides otherwise is granted. While it highlights of the "compulsive" design of these platforms, the move does not establish enforceable legislation.

"A clear age restriction is a good starting point," said a leading European lawmaker supporting the initiative.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Approach

For the United Kingdom, the administration has remained open to a potential ban, stating that "nothing is off the table" but insisting any action must be "grounded in robust research".

Earlier, interest grew behind a legislative effort to enact controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was ultimately modified. However, the administration committed to conduct more studies the issue.

Advocacy groups have expressed concerns. A prominent charity founded by the loved ones of a girl who was lost after being exposed to dangerous social media material argues that a blanket age ban might not protect children and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of exposure when users turn 16.

"The Australian ban is a reaction to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to create platforms and apps that are appropriate and suitable for children," stated a leading online safety campaigner.

The United States: A Decentralized Landscape

In the United States, regulation is largely unfolding at the state level amid national gridlock.

• The state of Utah requires adult approval for minors to use social media and restricts late-night use.
• The state of Florida has signed a law barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• Virginia has passed a law capping teenagers to 60 minutes of social media use per day, with extra access requiring adult consent.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise enacted laws mandating guardian approval for teenagers to open social media presences.

Even with cross-party agreement and suggestions from certain politicians to follow this path, a US-wide ban is currently seen as unlikely.

Worldwide Perspectives

Outside of these regions, other nations are similarly taking action.

• Malaysia intends to ban social media for under-16s starting from next year.
• Brazil has raised the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.

Yet, world bodies adopt a more measured position. Unicef has warned that blanket prohibitions carry risks and "might backfire". The organization points out that social networks can be a "lifeline" for isolated children and that regulation should not be a "substitute" for tech companies to invest in safety.

Even as this international debate unfolds, the steps of the Australian government and others demonstrate that governments internationally are increasingly willing to delay for tech companies to act voluntarily.