🔗 Share this article

Australia's controversial policy to ban social media access for those under 16 is creating waves internationally. Officials, safety advocates, and guardians are watching closely to see if this tactic will set a precedent for other nations.

European Momentum

Throughout Europe, a rising chorus of states are considering comparable restrictions.

• The Danish government has stated a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the PM stating that smartphones and apps are "robbing our youngsters' childhood". The policy could be formalized soon.
• Norway is planning to enforce a access barrier of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard the young from the "power of the AI".
• The Irish government is working on a online verification tool to confirm the age and identity of social media users. Officials have suggested that an Australian-model ban is "an tools under consideration".
• In The Spanish government, the prime minister has urged parliament to approve a law raising the legal age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a legislative committee has recommended a comparable step, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for older teenagers.
• The government in the Netherlands has urged families to prevent their kids from social media up to the age of 15.

Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has approved a non-binding statement supporting a ban for minors unless a parent decides otherwise is given. While it warns of the "compulsive" quality of these services, the step does not create mandatory rules.

"An effective age limit is a useful foundation," commented one parliamentarian driving the measure.

The United Kingdom: A Cautious Stance

Across Britain, the leadership has not ruled out a possible ban, emphasizing that "no option is discarded" but stressing any decision must be "supported by robust research".

Last year, support grew behind a bill to enact limits on social media use by teenagers, but it was ultimately watered down. However, the administration vowed to further research the issue.

Charities have voiced warnings. One foundation founded by the loved ones of a girl who died after encountering disturbing online content suggests that a blanket age ban could fail to protect children and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of risk when teens turn 16.

"Australia's ban is a response to the failure of the social media companies to create products and services that are safe and suitable for young users," said a leading online safety campaigner.

The United States: A State-by-State Landscape

In the United States, regulation is primarily occurring at the state government level against a backdrop of country-wide inaction.

• The state of Utah requires guardian permission for those under 18 to use social media and restricts late-night use.
• Florida has signed a law barring children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it faces court battles.
• The state of Virginia has passed a law capping under-16s to a single hour of social media time per day, with additional use requiring adult consent.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise introduced laws demanding guardian approval for teenagers to open social media profiles.

Despite widespread concern and calls from certain politicians to copy this example, a federal ban is presently seen as unlikely.

International Outlook

Beyond the West, additional states are likewise considering moves.

• The Malaysian government aims to ban social media for those under sixteen beginning next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has lifted the access age for one major platform to 16.

But, international organizations adopt a more nuanced position. Unicef has cautioned that age-based restrictions have downsides and "could prove counterproductive". The organization highlights that the internet can be a "critical link" for isolated youth and that regulation should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to improve user protection.

Even as this international conversation evolves, the steps of this nation and others show that states around the world are less and less prepared to wait for platforms to act voluntarily.