🔗 Share this article

The Australian decisive move to prohibit social platforms access for young people below 16 is sending ripples around the globe. Politicians, safety advocates, and families are watching closely to see if this strategy will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

European Movement

Throughout Europe, a rising number of countries are exploring parallel measures.

• The Danish government has stated a ban on social media for under-15s, with the prime minister arguing that smartphones and apps are "stealing our children's childhood". Legislation could be passed in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to implement a access barrier of 15, citing the need to shield the young from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• Ireland is introducing a online verification tool to authenticate the user details of social media users. The media minister have suggested that an Australia-style ban is "an options in reserve".
• In Spain, the president has called on parliament to approve a proposal raising the minimum age for using social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has endorsed a comparable step, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for older teenagers.
• The government in The Dutch government has urged families to prevent their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.

Across the European Union, the European parliament has approved a non-binding statement calling for a ban for minors except if parental consent is given. While it warns of the "addictive" nature of these platforms, the step does not enact mandatory rules.

"A clear age restriction is a solid starting point," said one European lawmaker driving the initiative.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Approach

In the UK, the leadership has not ruled out a possible ban, emphasizing that "nothing is discarded" but maintaining any policy must be "based on conclusive evidence".

Last year, momentum grew behind a legislative effort to introduce controls on social media use by minors, but it was eventually watered down. Nonetheless, the government pledged to investigate the topic.

Campaign organizations have raised concerns. An organization set up by the loved ones of a girl who took her own life after being exposed to dangerous platform posts suggests that a blanket age ban could fail to improve online safety and could create a "sudden drop-off" of harm when young people become eligible.

"The Australian ban is a answer to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to build tools that are secure and age appropriate for minors," stated a leading online safety campaigner.

America: A State-by-State Landscape

Across America, regulation is largely occurring at the local level due to federal stalemate.

• Utah requires parental consent for under-18s to use social media and limits overnight use.
• Florida has passed a measure prohibiting under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has enacted a law limiting teenagers to 60 minutes of social media time per day, with extra time dependent on a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also enacted laws demanding guardian approval for minors to set up social media accounts.

Even with cross-party agreement and suggestions from some figures to follow this example, a nationwide ban is presently seen as a distant prospect.

Worldwide Perspectives

Outside of Europe and the US, further countries are likewise taking action.

• The Malaysian government aims to restrict social media for teenagers beginning next year.
• Brazil has raised the required age for one major platform to 16.

Yet, international organizations strike a more measured position. A major UN agency has warned that social media bans carry risks and "could have unintended consequences". The organization highlights that social networks can be a "critical link" for isolated children and that government action should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to prioritize user protection.

While this global conversation continues, the policies of the Australian government and several other countries indicate that policymakers around the world are increasingly prepared to delay for platforms to make changes on their own.