🔗 Share this article

The Australian controversial policy to restrict social media access for those under 16 is creating waves internationally. Officials, child protection groups, and guardians are watching with great interest to see if this strategy will set a precedent for the rest of the world.

The European Momentum

Throughout Europe, a growing group of states are exploring comparable restrictions.

• The Danish government plans a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the PM declaring that smartphones and platforms are "taking away our youngsters' youth". The policy could be enacted in the coming year.
• The Norwegian government is planning to introduce a access barrier of 15, citing the need to shield children from the "manipulative force of the AI".
• The Irish government is developing a digital wallet to authenticate the identity and age of social media users. The media minister have stated that an Australia-style ban remains "a potential tools under consideration".
• In Spain, the leader has called on parliament to enact a bill lifting the legal age for using social media to 16.
• In The French government, the head of state has threatened a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has recommended a related action, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The government in the Netherlands has recommended parents to block their children from social media until 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has passed a non-binding statement calling for a ban for under-16s except if parental consent is provided. Although it warns of the "habit-forming" nature of these platforms, the resolution does not establish mandatory rules.

"An effective age limit is a good foundation," stated a leading European lawmaker driving the measure.

Britain: A Cautious Eye

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has not ruled out a future ban, emphasizing that "nothing is being dismissed" but insisting any action must be "grounded in strong evidence".

Last year, interest gathered behind a bill to enact limits on social media use by under-16s, but it was ultimately modified. Nonetheless, the government pledged to conduct more studies the topic.

Advocacy groups have voiced apprehensions. An organization set up by the relatives of a girl who died after viewing dangerous online content contends that a simple age ban might not improve online safety and could create a "dangerous transition" of harm when young people turn 16.

"This ban is a response to the inability of the social media companies to design tools that are appropriate and fit for young users," said a leading child protection advocate.

America: A State-by-State Picture

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

• The state of Utah demands adult approval for those under 18 to use social media and restricts overnight use.
• Florida has passed a law prohibiting children under fourteen from joining social media, though it faces court battles.
• Virginia has passed a law capping under-16s to a single hour of social media use per day, with extra use requiring parental permission.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also enacted measures mandating guardian approval for teenagers to open social media presences.

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

Global Views

Beyond these regions, additional nations are likewise considering moves.

• The Malaysian government plans to ban social media for those under sixteen beginning next year.
• Brazil has increased the minimum age for the platform Instagram to 16.

But, world bodies adopt a more measured stance. Unicef has warned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "may even prove counterproductive". The organization highlights that the internet can be a "critical link" for vulnerable young people and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for tech companies to invest in child safeguards.

As this international discussion evolves, the policies of this nation and others demonstrate that states around the world are no longer willing to wait for platforms to self-regulate.