🔗 Share this article

The Australian controversial policy to restrict social media access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves internationally. Officials, child protection groups, and guardians are monitoring intently to see if this approach will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

The European Momentum

Across Europe, a increasing number of nations are moving toward similar measures.

• Denmark has announced a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the leader stating that phones and networks are "stealing our youngsters' innocence". A law may be formalized in the coming year.
• Norway is planning to introduce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to shield the young from the "influence of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is developing a online verification tool to confirm the user details of social media participants. The media minister have suggested that an similar ban is "one of the tools under consideration".
• In The Spanish government, the prime minister has asked parliament to pass a proposal lifting the access age for using social media to 16.
• In The French government, the head of state has proposed a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has recommended a similar step, including an overnight "internet blackout" for older teenagers.
• The government in The Dutch government has advised parents to prevent their kids from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the EU parliament has passed a symbolic resolution calling for a ban for under-16s except if guardian approval is granted. While it cautions of the "compulsive" quality of these apps, the resolution does not enact mandatory rules.

"A clear age barrier is a good foundation," stated the European lawmaker supporting the measure.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Eye

For the United Kingdom, the administration has kept open a future ban, arguing that "no measure is discarded" but insisting any policy must be "based on strong data".

Previously, interest gathered behind a legislative effort to impose controls on social media use by minors, but it was eventually watered down. Instead, the administration vowed to investigate the topic.

Campaign organizations have voiced concerns. A prominent charity established by the family of a young person who took her own life after encountering harmful online content argues that a strict age ban might not make platforms safer and could create a "sudden drop-off" of risk when young people turn 16.

"The Australian ban is a reaction to the refusal of the tech sector to create tools that are appropriate and fit for minors," stated a influential peer.

The US: A Decentralized Landscape

Stateside, action is primarily happening at the local level amid national gridlock.

• Utah demands parental consent for those under 18 to use social media and limits late-night use.
• The state of Florida has passed a law prohibiting those below 14 from accessing social media, though it is entangled in legal challenges.
• Virginia has enacted a law limiting minors to a single hour of social media time per day, with any further time requiring a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also introduced laws mandating parental consent for under-16s to open social media accounts.

Even with cross-party agreement and suggestions from certain politicians to copy this example, a federal ban is presently seen as improbable.

Worldwide Views

Apart from Europe and the US, additional countries are also taking action.

• The Malaysian government intends to restrict social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
• Brazil has increased the minimum age for one major platform to 16.

But, international organizations take a more cautious position. A major UN agency has warned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "might have unintended consequences". The body notes that the internet can be a "lifeline" for vulnerable children and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for tech companies to improve child safeguards.

While this worldwide discussion continues, the policies of Australia and others demonstrate that governments globally are no longer prepared to delay for the industry to make changes on their own.