The Australian decisive move to restrict social media access for young people below 16 is sending ripples internationally. Politicians, child protection groups, and parents are monitoring with great interest to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.
European Trend
Across Europe, a rising chorus of countries are considering comparable bans.
- Denmark plans a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the leader declaring that phones and apps are "robbing our kids' youth". A law is expected to be passed in the coming year.
- The Norwegian government is planning to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to protect children from the "influence of the algorithms".
- Ireland is working on a digital wallet to verify the identity and age of social media account holders. Officials have indicated that an Australian-model ban is "one of the measures on the table".
- In The Spanish government, the leader has asked the legislature to approve a law raising the access age for accessing social media to 16.
- In The French government, the leader has threatened a ban for children below 15, and a government panel has suggested a similar step, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
- The government in the Netherlands has recommended families to prevent their children from social media up to the age of 15.
For the broader EU, the EU parliament has approved a non-binding motion calling for a ban for minors unless guardian approval is given. While it warns of the "habit-forming" nature of these apps, the resolution does not establish binding law.
"A clear age limit is a useful foundation," stated a leading parliamentarian driving the resolution.
The United Kingdom: A Cautious Stance
For the United Kingdom, the leadership has kept open a possible ban, stating that "no measure is being dismissed" but maintaining any action must be "based on conclusive data".
Earlier, support grew behind a legislative effort to enact restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was eventually modified. Instead, the administration committed to conduct more studies the issue.
Advocacy groups have raised concerns. An organization established by the loved ones of a girl who took her own life after encountering dangerous online content suggests that a blanket age ban could fail to protect children and could result in a "cliff edge" of harm when users reach the legal age.
"Australia's ban is a reaction to the refusal of the tech sector to create products and services that are safe and age appropriate for minors," commented a influential child protection advocate.
The US: A Fragmented Approach
Stateside, action is mostly occurring at the regional level amid federal gridlock.
- Utah mandates adult approval for those under 18 to use social media and limits nighttime use.
- Florida has signed a measure barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to constitutional disputes.
- The state of Virginia has approved a law limiting teenagers to a single hour of social media access per day, with extra access requiring parental permission.
- The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly enacted bills mandating adult authorization for teenagers to create social media presences.
Even with cross-party agreement and calls from certain figures to follow Australia's lead, a nationwide ban is presently seen as improbable.
Global Perspectives
Outside of the West, additional states are similarly considering moves.
- Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for under-16s starting from next year.
- The Brazilian authorities has raised the required age for the platform Instagram to 16.
Yet, global bodies adopt a more measured position. Unicef has cautioned that blanket prohibitions pose dangers and "could backfire". The agency notes that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for vulnerable children and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for tech companies to invest in child safeguards.
Even as this global discussion evolves, the actions of the Australian government and several other countries demonstrate that policymakers globally are no longer content to stand by for the industry to make changes on their own.
