🔗 Share this article

Australia's decisive move to restrict social platforms access for young people below 16 is sending ripples internationally. Officials, child protection groups, and parents are watching with great interest to see if this approach will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Movement

In Europe, a rising group of countries are exploring comparable measures.

• Denmark plans a prohibition on social media for children under fifteen, with the PM arguing that mobile devices and apps are "robbing our youngsters' youth". The policy could be enacted in the coming year.
• The Norwegian government is set to implement a access barrier of 15, citing the need to safeguard young people from the "power of the AI".
• The Irish government is working on a digital ID system to authenticate the identity and age of social media account holders. Authorities have stated that an similar ban remains "an tools on the table".
• In Spain, the prime minister has called on the legislature to approve a proposal increasing the minimum age for using social media to 16.
• In The French government, the head of state has floated the idea of a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has recommended a similar step, potentially involving an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The administration in the Netherlands has urged families to prevent their youngsters from social media before 15.

Across the European Union, the European parliament has approved a non-binding statement calling for a ban for teenagers under 16 except if a parent decides otherwise is provided. Although it highlights of the "habit-forming" quality of these services, the step does not enact mandatory rules.

"A strong age barrier is a useful foundation," said the MEP driving the resolution.

Britain: A Watchful Eye

Across Britain, the administration has remained open to a future ban, emphasizing that "no measure is being dismissed" but insisting any decision must be "based on conclusive data".

Last year, momentum grew behind a legislative effort to enact controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was ultimately modified. However, the administration vowed to further research the issue.

Campaign organizations have voiced apprehensions. One foundation set up by the family of a teenager who took her own life after encountering dangerous online content argues that a blanket age ban might not improve online safety and could result in a "sudden drop-off" of risk when teens become eligible.

"This ban is a reaction to the inability of the social media companies to build tools that are appropriate and fit for children," said a prominent peer.

The US: A State-by-State Landscape

Stateside, legislation is primarily happening at the state level due to federal stalemate.

• Utah requires parental consent for under-18s to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
• Florida has signed a bill barring under-14s from joining social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has approved a rule capping teenagers to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with any further use dependent on a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly enacted measures requiring guardian approval for under-16s to open social media profiles.

Even with bipartisan support and suggestions from various politicians to follow the Australian example, a nationwide ban is presently seen as improbable.

Worldwide Perspectives

Outside of Europe and the US, other nations are similarly exploring options.

• Malaysia aims to ban social media for under-16s effective next year.
• Brazil has raised the required age for Instagram to 16.

However, global bodies strike a more measured tone. The UN children's agency has warned that blanket prohibitions have downsides and "may even have unintended consequences". The body notes that online platforms can be a "critical link" for isolated youth and that bans should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to improve safety.

While this global conversation evolves, the policies of this nation and several other countries demonstrate that policymakers around the world are no longer prepared to stand by for tech companies to self-regulate.