🔗 Share this article

The Australian controversial move to prohibit social platforms access for young people below 16 is sending ripples around the globe. Lawmakers, child protection groups, and parents are monitoring closely to see if this strategy will inspire imitation for other nations.

Across Europe Trend

Throughout Europe, a growing group of states are exploring parallel measures.

• The Danish government has announced a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister declaring that smartphones and networks are "robbing our kids' youth". The policy is expected to be enacted in the coming year.
• The Norwegian government is preparing to enforce a age restriction of 15, citing the need to safeguard children from the "influence of the recommendation systems".
• The Irish government is developing a digital ID system to authenticate the user details of social media account holders. The media minister have stated that an Australia-style ban could be "one of the options on the table".
• In Spain, the president has urged the legislature to approve a law increasing the access age for joining social media to 16.
• In The French government, the leader has proposed 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 urged guardians to restrict their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has adopted a symbolic motion demanding a ban for teenagers under 16 without parental consent is provided. While it warns of the "addictive" design of these apps, the move does not create enforceable legislation.

"A clear age barrier is a good foundation," commented a leading European lawmaker behind the resolution.

The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Approach

For the United Kingdom, the administration has not ruled out a future ban, emphasizing that "no option is discarded" but stressing any policy must be "grounded in conclusive evidence".

Earlier, interest gathered behind a legislative effort to introduce controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was eventually modified. However, the administration vowed to further research the matter.

Campaign organizations have expressed concerns. A prominent charity founded by the relatives of a young person who was lost after viewing harmful social media material argues that a simple age ban may not improve online safety and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of harm when young people reach the legal age.

"The Australian ban is a reaction to the failure of the social media companies to create products and services that are safe and age appropriate for minors," stated a influential online safety campaigner.

The US: A State-by-State Landscape

Stateside, legislation is primarily unfolding at the state level due to national stalemate.

• Utah mandates guardian permission for those under 18 to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• The state of Florida has enacted a bill banning under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it faces legal challenges.
• Virginia has approved a rule limiting teenagers to a single hour of social media use per day, with additional access requiring parental permission.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also enacted laws demanding parental consent for under-16s to open social media profiles.

Despite cross-party agreement and calls from certain politicians to mimic this lead, a US-wide ban is presently seen as a distant prospect.

Global Views

Beyond these regions, other nations are likewise exploring options.

• The Malaysian government plans to prohibit social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has raised the access age for one major platform to 16.

However, international bodies adopt a more nuanced position. Unicef has advised that blanket prohibitions have downsides and "may even have unintended consequences". The agency points out that the internet can be a "critical link" for vulnerable young people and that bans should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to prioritize safety.

While this global debate evolves, the steps of Australia and several other countries show that policymakers internationally are less and less content to wait for platforms to make changes on their own.