🔗 Share this article

Australia's controversial action to prohibit social media access for young people below 16 is creating waves around the globe. Officials, child protection groups, and guardians are watching closely to see if this approach will inspire imitation for countries abroad.

European Momentum

Across Europe, a increasing group of nations are considering parallel measures.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for youth below 15, with the leader stating that mobile devices and networks are "robbing our kids' innocence". Legislation may be formalized in the coming year.
• The Norwegian government is preparing to introduce a minimum age limit of 15, citing the need to protect young people from the "manipulative force of the AI".
• Ireland is working on a digital wallet to authenticate the identity and age of social media users. Officials have stated that an Australian-model ban could be "a potential measures in reserve".
• In Spain, the prime minister has urged parliament to enact a proposal lifting the access age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a government panel has recommended a similar action, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for adolescents.
• The authorities in the Netherlands has urged families to prevent their children from social media before 15.

For the broader EU, the European parliament has adopted a symbolic resolution demanding a ban for teenagers under 16 except if a parent decides otherwise is granted. Although it warns of the "compulsive" design of these services, the move does not establish binding law.

"A clear age limit is a solid first step," stated one parliamentarian behind the measure.

The UK: A Cautious Eye

In the UK, the leadership has remained open to a possible ban, stating that "no measure is discarded" but insisting any decision must be "supported by robust data".

Previously, interest gathered behind a bill to enact restrictions on social media use by teenagers, but it was ultimately modified. Instead, the administration vowed to conduct more studies the issue.

Campaign organizations have expressed warnings. A prominent charity founded by the loved ones of a girl who took her own life after being exposed to harmful social media material argues that a simple age ban may not protect children and could create a "cliff edge" of exposure when teens turn 16.

"Australia's ban is a reaction to the failure of the social media companies to create products and services that are safe and fit for young users," said a influential peer.

The United States: A Fragmented Landscape

Across America, legislation is mostly happening at the local level amid federal inaction.

• The state of Utah demands guardian permission for minors to use social media and restricts overnight use.
• Florida has signed a measure barring those below 14 from accessing social media, though it faces legal challenges.
• Virginia has approved a law capping teenagers to one hour of social media use per day, with extra time requiring parental permission.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly introduced bills mandating guardian approval for teenagers to create social media profiles.

Despite cross-party agreement and calls from various figures to mimic the Australian example, a federal ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.

Worldwide Views

Apart from Europe and the US, additional states are likewise taking action.

• Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for those under sixteen beginning next year.
• Brazil has raised the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.

But, global organizations strike a more cautious position. The UN children's agency has advised that age-based restrictions have downsides and "could have unintended consequences". The body points out that the internet can be a "critical link" for vulnerable children and that bans should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to improve child safeguards.

Even as this international conversation unfolds, the policies of Australia and others indicate that policymakers internationally are increasingly willing to stand by for platforms to act voluntarily.