🔗 Share this article

The Australian decisive policy to prohibit social platforms access for those under 16 is creating waves around the globe. Lawmakers, campaigners, and parents are monitoring with great interest to see if this strategy will inspire imitation for countries abroad.

Across Europe Momentum

In Europe, a growing number of nations are exploring comparable restrictions.

• Denmark has stated a ban on social media for under-15s, with the PM arguing that mobile devices and platforms are "taking away our youngsters' childhood". A law may be enacted next year.
• Norway is planning to introduce a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to protect young people from the "manipulative force of the AI".
• The Irish government is working on a online verification tool to authenticate the age and identity of social media participants. Officials have stated that an Australian-model ban could be "a potential options under consideration".
• In Spain, the president has urged the legislature to pass a law lifting the minimum age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has floated the idea of a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has suggested a related action, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in The Dutch government has urged guardians to restrict their youngsters from social media until 15.

Across the European Union, the European parliament has adopted a symbolic resolution demanding a ban for teenagers under 16 except if guardian approval is given. Although it highlights of the "habit-forming" design of these platforms, the step does not enact enforceable legislation.

"A strong age barrier is a good first step," stated a leading parliamentarian supporting the resolution.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Approach

In the UK, the government has kept open a possible ban, arguing that "nothing is discarded" but stressing any decision must be "grounded in robust research".

Earlier, momentum built behind a proposal to impose restrictions on social media use by under-16s, but it was eventually modified. Instead, the government pledged to investigate the issue.

Campaign organizations have voiced apprehensions. A prominent charity set up by the loved ones of a teenager who was lost after encountering dangerous social media material argues that a simple age ban may not improve online safety and could lead to a "cliff edge" of harm when users reach the legal age.

"The Australian ban is a response to the failure of the Silicon Valley to create tools that are appropriate and fit for minors," stated a prominent online safety campaigner.

The United States: A State-by-State Landscape

In the United States, regulation is largely unfolding at the regional level amid federal stalemate.

• Utah demands guardian permission for those under 18 to use social media and controls overnight use.
• Florida has enacted a law banning under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is entangled in court battles.
• Virginia has enacted a law limiting teenagers to one hour of social media use per day, with additional use needing parental permission.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly introduced bills requiring parental consent for under-16s to create social media profiles.

Despite widespread concern and calls from some individuals to follow this lead, a federal ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.

International Perspectives

Apart from the West, other states are likewise taking action.

• Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for teenagers beginning next year.
• Brazil has increased the required age for Instagram to 16.

However, international agencies adopt a more cautious stance. Unicef has advised that blanket prohibitions carry risks and "may even backfire". The organization highlights that social networks can be a "lifeline" for marginalized children and that bans should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to prioritize child safeguards.

Even as this worldwide conversation continues, the policies of this nation and others demonstrate that governments around the world are no longer content to wait for the industry to make changes on their own.