🔗 Share this article

Australia's controversial action to ban social media access for individuals under sixteen is sparking debate worldwide. Politicians, child protection groups, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this tactic will become a template for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Trend

In Europe, a increasing number of countries are exploring similar restrictions.

• Denmark has announced a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the leader stating that phones and networks are "stealing our children's youth". Legislation could be formalized soon.
• Norway is set to introduce a age restriction of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard children from the "manipulative force of the AI".
• The Irish government is introducing a online verification tool to verify the identity and age of social media account holders. The media minister have indicated that an Australian-model ban could be "one of the measures on the table".
• In The Spanish government, the president has called on the legislature to approve a law lifting the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a government panel has suggested a related step, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The authorities in The Dutch government has advised families to restrict their kids from social media before 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has approved a symbolic resolution calling for a ban for teenagers under 16 except if guardian approval is granted. Even though it warns of the "habit-forming" design of these apps, the step does not establish binding law.

"A clear age restriction is a good foundation," stated the MEP supporting the resolution.

Britain: A Cautious Eye

For the United Kingdom, the government has kept open a future ban, emphasizing that "nothing is being dismissed" but stressing any decision must be "grounded in conclusive data".

Last year, momentum gathered behind a bill to impose controls on social media use by minors, but it was in the end modified. However, the administration vowed to conduct more studies the matter.

Campaign organizations have raised warnings. A prominent charity set up by the loved ones of a young person who was lost after viewing dangerous platform posts argues that a simple age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of harm when young people become eligible.

"This ban is a reaction to the inability of the Silicon Valley to create products and services that are appropriate and age appropriate for children," said a prominent peer.

America: A Fragmented Picture

In the United States, regulation is primarily unfolding at the regional level against a backdrop of federal gridlock.

• Utah demands adult approval for those under 18 to use social media and controls overnight use.
• Florida has passed a bill barring those below 14 from creating accounts on social media, though it is entangled in legal challenges.
• Virginia has approved a rule capping teenagers to 60 minutes of social media use per day, with extra time needing a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed bills requiring guardian approval for teenagers to set up social media accounts.

Even with bipartisan support and proposals from some politicians to mimic this example, a US-wide ban is presently seen as a distant prospect.

International Views

Apart from these regions, additional nations are also considering moves.

• The Malaysian government aims to ban social media for those under sixteen beginning next year.
• Brazil has raised the minimum age for one major platform to 16.

Yet, world bodies take a more nuanced stance. The UN children's agency has advised that age-based restrictions carry risks and "might backfire". The body notes that social networks can be a "lifeline" for isolated children and that bans should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to prioritize child safeguards.

While this international conversation unfolds, the steps of the Australian government and its followers show that policymakers internationally are no longer content to wait for the industry to act voluntarily.