🔗 Share this article

The nation's bold move to ban social platforms access for those under 16 is sparking debate around the globe. Officials, campaigners, and guardians are monitoring closely to see if this approach will set a precedent for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Momentum

In Europe, a increasing group of nations are considering similar measures.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the leader stating that smartphones and apps are "taking away our youngsters' childhood". A law is expected to be enacted next year.
• Norway is planning to introduce a access barrier of 15, highlighting the need to safeguard the young from the "power of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is developing a online verification tool to authenticate the identity and age of social media participants. Officials have indicated that an Australia-style ban is "a potential measures under consideration".
• In The Spanish government, the president has urged lawmakers to pass a proposal increasing the minimum age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has floated the idea of a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has recommended a comparable action, potentially involving an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in The Netherlands has recommended parents to restrict their kids from social media up to the age of 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has approved a symbolic resolution demanding a ban for under-16s except if guardian approval is provided. Even though it highlights of the "addictive" nature of these apps, the step does not enact enforceable legislation.

"An effective age restriction is a good first step," said a leading European lawmaker behind the measure.

Britain: A Cautious Eye

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has kept open a future ban, emphasizing that "no measure is discarded" but stressing any policy must be "based on conclusive evidence".

Last year, momentum built behind a bill to introduce controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end weakened. Instead, the administration vowed to further research the matter.

Campaign organizations have voiced warnings. A prominent charity founded by the relatives of a teenager who was lost after viewing disturbing online content contends that a strict age ban could fail to protect children and could create a "sudden drop-off" of risk when teens become eligible.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the refusal of the tech sector to design tools that are appropriate and age appropriate for children," commented a leading child protection advocate.

The US: A Decentralized Approach

In the United States, regulation is primarily happening at the state government level amid federal inaction.

• Utah requires guardian permission for those under 18 to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
• Florida has passed a bill prohibiting those below 14 from joining social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• Virginia has passed a rule restricting teenagers to a single hour of social media time per day, with any further use dependent on adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly introduced measures demanding parental consent for minors to open social media profiles.

Even with bipartisan support and proposals from certain figures to copy the Australian example, a US-wide ban is currently seen as a distant prospect.

International Outlook

Beyond these regions, further states are also taking action.

• Malaysia aims to ban social media for teenagers beginning next year.
• Brazil has increased the required age for Instagram to 16.

However, world organizations strike a more nuanced stance. The UN children's agency has advised that age-based restrictions pose dangers and "could backfire". The body highlights that the internet can be a "vital connection" for vulnerable children and that bans should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to improve safety.

Even as this international conversation continues, the steps of this nation and others show that policymakers around the world are less and less willing to wait for tech companies to act voluntarily.