The Australian bold policy to prohibit social platforms access for young people below 16 is sending ripples around the globe. Lawmakers, child protection groups, and parents are monitoring with great interest to see if this approach will become a template for the rest of the world.
The European Movement
Across Europe, a growing group of nations are considering comparable restrictions.
- Denmark plans a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the leader arguing that smartphones and networks are "robbing our children's innocence". Legislation could be enacted soon.
- The Norwegian government is set to introduce a age restriction of 15, highlighting the need to protect the young from the "manipulative force of the AI".
- The Irish government is working on a online verification tool to confirm the identity and age of social media participants. The media minister have suggested that an similar ban remains "one of the options in reserve".
- In Spain, the leader has called on parliament to approve a bill increasing the legal age for using social media to 16.
- In France, the head of state has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a parliamentary commission has suggested a similar move, including an overnight "digital curfew" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
- The government in The Netherlands has advised families to block their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.
Across the European Union, the European parliament has adopted a advisory resolution supporting a ban for under-16s unless a parent decides otherwise is provided. Although it warns of the "compulsive" quality of these services, the move does not create enforceable legislation.
"An effective age restriction is a useful foundation," said the European lawmaker driving the initiative.
The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Stance
For the United Kingdom, the administration has remained open to a potential ban, stating that "no measure is discarded" but stressing any policy must be "grounded in conclusive data".
Last year, support built behind a legislative effort to enact restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was ultimately weakened. However, the government committed to investigate the topic.
Advocacy groups have voiced warnings. A prominent charity set up by the relatives of a girl who took her own life after being exposed to dangerous platform posts contends that a blanket age ban could fail to protect children and could result in a "sudden drop-off" of exposure when young people reach the legal age.
"This ban is a answer to the refusal of the social media companies to design tools that are appropriate and suitable for young users," commented a prominent child protection advocate.
America: A Decentralized Landscape
Across America, legislation is largely happening at the local level amid federal inaction.
- Utah mandates parental consent for those under 18 to use social media and restricts overnight use.
- The state of Florida has signed a measure banning under-14s from joining social media, though it faces legal challenges.
- Virginia has enacted a regulation capping under-16s to 60 minutes of social media time per day, with extra access dependent on parental permission.
- The state of Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed laws mandating guardian approval for teenagers to create social media accounts.
Even with bipartisan support and proposals from certain individuals to copy this path, a federal ban is presently seen as improbable.
Global Outlook
Beyond the West, further states are also taking action.
- Malaysia intends to ban social media for teenagers effective next year.
- Brazil has lifted the required age for one major platform to 16.
But, international bodies take a more cautious stance. The UN children's agency has advised that age-based restrictions pose dangers and "might prove counterproductive". The agency highlights that social networks can be a "critical link" for vulnerable youth and that regulation should not be a "substitute" for tech companies to invest in safety.
As this worldwide debate evolves, the actions of this nation and several other countries show that governments around the world are increasingly prepared to wait for tech companies to make changes on their own.
