The Australian decisive action to ban social media access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves internationally. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and parents are observing with great interest to see if this approach will set a precedent for the rest of the world.
European Movement
Across Europe, a increasing group of nations are moving toward parallel measures.
- The Danish government has stated a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the prime minister arguing that phones and platforms are "stealing our kids' childhood". The policy is expected to be formalized next year.
- The Norwegian government is preparing to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to protect children from the "power of the AI".
- Ireland is introducing a digital ID system to confirm the user details of social media users. The media minister have stated that an Australian-model ban remains "a potential tools on the table".
- In Spain, the prime minister has urged lawmakers to pass a bill lifting the access age for using social media to 16.
- In The French government, the president has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a similar step, including an overnight "internet blackout" for older teenagers.
- The authorities in the Netherlands has urged families to restrict their children from social media up to the age of 15.
At the EU level, the European parliament has approved a symbolic motion demanding a ban for minors except if guardian approval is provided. Even though it warns of the "compulsive" quality of these apps, the step does not create mandatory rules.
"A strong age restriction is a useful starting point," said a leading MEP supporting the resolution.
The UK: An Evidence-Based Approach
In the UK, the government has kept open a future ban, stating that "nothing is being dismissed" but insisting any policy must be "based on robust data".
Earlier, momentum grew behind a proposal to enact limits on social media use by teenagers, but it was in the end modified. Nonetheless, the government vowed to further research the matter.
Campaign organizations have raised warnings. An organization founded by the family of a girl who was lost after being exposed to disturbing online content contends that a strict age ban might not improve online safety and could create a "dangerous transition" of harm when users become eligible.
"The Australian ban is a answer to the failure of the social media companies to design tools that are secure and suitable for young users," said a leading child protection advocate.
America: A Decentralized Landscape
In the United States, action is primarily happening at the regional government level against a backdrop of country-wide stalemate.
- Utah mandates adult approval for minors to use social media and restricts late-night use.
- Florida has passed a law barring children under fourteen from creating accounts on social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
- Virginia has enacted a law capping teenagers to a single hour of social media access per day, with additional access dependent on parental permission.
- Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly introduced measures demanding adult authorization for teenagers to open social media accounts.
Even with bipartisan support and suggestions from various individuals to copy this path, a nationwide ban is right now seen as improbable.
International Perspectives
Apart from the West, further states are also taking action.
- The Malaysian government intends to ban social media for under-16s starting from next year.
- Brazil has lifted the minimum age for the platform Instagram to 16.
However, international agencies take a more nuanced position. Unicef has advised that age-based restrictions have downsides and "might prove counterproductive". The organization notes that social networks can be a "critical link" for vulnerable children and that government action should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to improve safety.
While this international debate evolves, the policies of Australia and its followers show that states internationally are increasingly prepared to delay for the industry to make changes on their own.
