🔗 Share this article

The Australian decisive policy to prohibit social networking access for young people below 16 is creating waves around the globe. Officials, safety advocates, and parents are observing with great interest to see if this tactic will become a template for other nations.

European Momentum

Throughout Europe, a growing chorus of states are moving toward comparable restrictions.

• Denmark has announced a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the leader arguing that smartphones and apps are "stealing our youngsters' youth". Legislation could be formalized in the coming year.
• Norway is set to implement a access barrier of 15, citing the need to safeguard children from the "influence of the AI".
• Ireland is developing a digital ID system to verify the user details of social media participants. The media minister have suggested that an Australia-style ban remains "a potential measures under consideration".
• In The Spanish government, the prime minister has urged the legislature to pass a proposal lifting the minimum age for accessing social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a government panel has suggested a comparable move, potentially involving an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The administration in The Netherlands has urged families to prevent their kids from social media up to the age of 15.

Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has approved a symbolic resolution supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 except if parental consent is given. Even though it highlights of the "addictive" quality of these services, the move does not enact binding law.

"A clear age restriction is a solid first step," stated a leading European lawmaker supporting the resolution.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Approach

Across Britain, the government has remained open to a future ban, arguing that "nothing is being dismissed" but stressing any policy must be "supported by robust data".

Previously, momentum gathered behind a proposal to introduce limits on social media use by under-16s, but it was eventually watered down. However, the administration pledged to investigate the issue.

Advocacy groups have expressed apprehensions. A prominent charity founded by the relatives of a young person who took her own life after being exposed to dangerous social media material suggests that a simple age ban could fail to improve online safety and could lead to a "cliff edge" of harm when teens turn 16.

"The Australian ban is a response to the failure of the Silicon Valley to build platforms and apps that are appropriate and age appropriate for minors," commented a leading peer.

The United States: A Decentralized Picture

Across America, legislation is largely occurring at the regional level due to country-wide stalemate.

• Utah demands adult approval for under-18s to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• Florida has signed a law banning those below 14 from joining social media, though it faces court battles.
• The state of Virginia has approved a regulation limiting teenagers to a single hour of social media use per day, with additional use requiring adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise introduced measures demanding adult authorization for teenagers to set up social media profiles.

Even with bipartisan support and calls from certain politicians to mimic Australia's path, a nationwide ban is presently seen as unlikely.

International Perspectives

Beyond Europe and the US, additional countries are also exploring options.

• Malaysia plans to restrict social media for teenagers beginning next year.
• Brazil has lifted the access age for Instagram to 16.

But, global bodies adopt a more nuanced stance. A major UN agency has cautioned that social media bans have downsides and "could backfire". The organization notes that the internet can be a "critical link" for isolated young people and that bans should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to invest in safety.

Even as this international discussion unfolds, the policies of the Australian government and others indicate that governments globally are less and less content to delay for tech companies to act voluntarily.