The Australian bold action to ban social media access for young people below 16 is sending ripples internationally. Officials, campaigners, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this tactic will become a template for countries abroad.
European Momentum
Throughout Europe, a growing number of nations are exploring comparable measures.
- The Danish government has stated a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the leader declaring that phones and platforms are "robbing our children's innocence". A law is expected to be formalized soon.
- Norway is set to enforce a access barrier of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard young people from the "power of the recommendation systems".
- Ireland is introducing a online verification tool to authenticate the user details of social media account holders. Officials have stated that an Australian-model ban could be "a potential tools under consideration".
- In Spain, the prime minister has asked the legislature to approve a bill lifting the legal age for using social media to 16.
- In The French government, the leader has floated the idea of a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has recommended a related action, potentially involving an overnight "internet blackout" for adolescents.
- The authorities in The Dutch government has advised families to restrict their youngsters from social media before 15.
For the broader EU, the EU parliament has passed a advisory statement supporting a ban for under-16s except if guardian approval is provided. Although it cautions of the "habit-forming" design of these services, the step does not create binding law.
"An effective age barrier is a good foundation," said a leading MEP behind the measure.
Britain: An Evidence-Based Approach
In the UK, the government has not ruled out a potential ban, emphasizing that "no option is off the table" but insisting any policy must be "based on conclusive evidence".
Previously, interest gathered behind a proposal to impose limits on social media use by under-16s, but it was ultimately weakened. Nonetheless, the administration vowed to investigate the issue.
Advocacy groups have raised warnings. An organization founded by the loved ones of a girl who took her own life after being exposed to dangerous platform posts argues that a blanket age ban might not protect children and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of risk when young people turn 16.
"This ban is a response to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to build tools that are appropriate and age appropriate for children," stated a prominent online safety campaigner.
The US: A Decentralized Approach
In the United States, regulation is mostly occurring at the local level due to federal gridlock.
- Utah requires adult approval for minors to use social media and restricts overnight use.
- The state of Florida has signed a law prohibiting those below 14 from joining social media, though it is subject to constitutional disputes.
- The state of Virginia has enacted a rule restricting minors to a single hour of social media access per day, with extra use dependent on parental permission.
- Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have also enacted laws mandating parental consent for minors to open social media accounts.
Despite widespread concern and calls from some individuals to follow this example, a federal ban is right now seen as unlikely.
Global Outlook
Outside of the West, further states are likewise taking action.
- The Malaysian government plans to restrict social media for under-16s beginning next year.
- Brazil has increased the required age for the platform Instagram to 16.
But, international agencies adopt a more cautious position. A major UN agency has cautioned that social media bans pose dangers and "could prove counterproductive". The organization points out that online platforms can be a "critical link" for vulnerable youth and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for platform operators to improve child safeguards.
While this worldwide conversation continues, the policies of this nation and others demonstrate that states around the world are less and less content to delay for the industry to make changes on their own.
