🔗 Share this article

The Australian decisive action to restrict social media access for young people below 16 is sparking debate internationally. Officials, campaigners, and parents are observing with great interest to see if this tactic will set a precedent for the rest of the world.

The European Trend

In Europe, a rising chorus of nations are considering comparable restrictions.

• Denmark has stated a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the PM declaring that mobile devices and platforms are "robbing our children's innocence". A law could be passed next year.
• Norway is planning to implement a age restriction of 15, citing the need to shield children from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is introducing a digital ID system to authenticate the identity and age of social media users. The media minister have indicated that an similar ban is "one of the measures in reserve".
• In Spain, the prime minister has urged lawmakers to enact a bill raising the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has proposed a ban for children below 15, and a parliamentary commission has recommended a similar action, including an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in The Dutch government has urged families to prevent their children from social media before 15.

Across the European Union, the European parliament has passed a advisory statement supporting a ban for under-16s without parental consent is provided. Although it warns of the "habit-forming" nature of these apps, the move does not create enforceable legislation.

"A strong age restriction is a solid first step," stated one parliamentarian driving the resolution.

Britain: A Watchful Approach

In the UK, the leadership has remained open to a potential ban, emphasizing that "no measure is being dismissed" but stressing any decision must be "grounded in robust evidence".

Previously, momentum grew behind a proposal to introduce controls on social media use by minors, but it was ultimately watered down. Nonetheless, the government vowed to investigate the issue.

Advocacy groups have raised apprehensions. A prominent charity set up by the loved ones of a teenager who took her own life after viewing harmful online content suggests that a simple age ban may not improve online safety and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of harm when young people turn 16.

"The Australian ban is a answer to the refusal of the tech sector to build tools that are safe and age appropriate for children," said a influential child protection advocate.

The US: A Decentralized Picture

In the United States, regulation is mostly unfolding at the regional government level amid country-wide inaction.

• The state of Utah demands guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and controls overnight use.
• Florida has signed a measure barring children under fourteen from creating accounts on social media, though it is entangled in court battles.
• Virginia has approved a regulation restricting teenagers to one hour of social media access per day, with extra time dependent on a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly passed bills demanding adult authorization for under-16s to set up social media accounts.

Even with bipartisan support and proposals from various figures to copy this example, a nationwide ban is presently seen as a distant prospect.

International Perspectives

Outside of these regions, further states are also considering moves.

• Malaysia plans to restrict social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
• Brazil has lifted the minimum age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, global organizations adopt a more measured position. A major UN agency has cautioned that social media bans carry risks and "may even prove counterproductive". The agency highlights that social networks can be a "lifeline" for vulnerable children and that bans should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to improve safety.

As this international discussion continues, the policies of this nation and others demonstrate that governments internationally are less and less willing to wait for the industry to make changes on their own.