🔗 Share this article

The Australian controversial policy to restrict social media access for individuals under sixteen is sending ripples around the globe. Politicians, child protection groups, and parents are watching closely to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Momentum

Across Europe, a rising number of countries are moving toward parallel bans.

• Denmark has announced a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the PM declaring that smartphones and platforms are "stealing our youngsters' childhood". Legislation could be formalized next year.
• The Norwegian government is planning to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to protect young people from the "manipulative force of the AI".
• Ireland is developing a digital wallet to verify the user details of social media account holders. Officials have suggested that an Australia-style ban could be "an measures under consideration".
• In Spain, the prime minister has called on the legislature to pass a law raising the access age for joining 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 endorsed a comparable step, including an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The government in The Dutch government has advised parents to prevent their children from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the EU parliament has approved a symbolic resolution supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 except if guardian approval is given. Although it cautions of the "compulsive" quality of these platforms, the resolution does not establish mandatory rules.

"A clear age limit is a good first step," stated the parliamentarian behind the measure.

The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Approach

In the UK, the leadership has remained open to a possible ban, stating that "no option is being dismissed" but maintaining any decision must be "supported by strong evidence".

Last year, momentum gathered behind a bill to impose restrictions on social media use by teenagers, but it was eventually weakened. Instead, the government vowed to investigate the matter.

Charities have expressed apprehensions. An organization established by the family of a girl who was lost after viewing disturbing social media material suggests that a strict age ban might not make platforms safer and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of risk when users reach the legal age.

"The Australian ban is a response to the inability of the Silicon Valley to build platforms and apps that are appropriate and age appropriate for children," said a leading online safety campaigner.

America: A Decentralized Landscape

Across America, action is largely unfolding at the state level against a backdrop of federal inaction.

• The state of Utah demands adult approval for under-18s to use social media and limits nighttime use.
• Florida has enacted a measure barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• The state of Virginia has enacted a law capping teenagers to a single hour of social media access per day, with extra access dependent on a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed bills demanding adult authorization for teenagers to open social media accounts.

Despite cross-party agreement and proposals from certain figures to follow Australia's example, a US-wide ban is presently seen as a distant prospect.

Global Perspectives

Outside of the West, further countries are similarly considering moves.

• The Malaysian government intends to prohibit social media for under-16s effective next year.
• Brazil has lifted the access age for one major platform to 16.

But, world agencies take a more measured stance. Unicef has cautioned that social media bans have downsides and "might have unintended consequences". The agency points out that the internet can be a "critical link" for vulnerable young people and that bans should not be a "substitute" for tech companies to invest in safety.

As this international debate continues, the steps of this nation and others show that policymakers around the world are no longer willing to stand by for tech companies to self-regulate.