🔗 Share this article

Australia's decisive policy to prohibit social platforms access for those under 16 is sparking debate around the globe. Lawmakers, child protection groups, and families are observing intently to see if this approach will set a precedent for the rest of the world.

European Trend

In Europe, a increasing group of nations are moving toward parallel bans.

• The Danish government has announced a prohibition on social media for under-15s, with the prime minister declaring that phones and networks are "robbing our kids' innocence". A law could be enacted next year.
• Norway is planning to enforce a access barrier of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard children from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• Ireland is introducing a digital ID system to verify the user details of social media account holders. Officials have indicated that an similar ban is "an options on the table".
• In The Spanish government, the president has called on the legislature to enact a law raising the minimum age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the president has floated the idea of a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has endorsed a similar action, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The administration in The Dutch government has recommended guardians to restrict their children from social media before 15.

For the broader EU, the EU parliament has passed a non-binding resolution demanding a ban for under-16s without parental consent is provided. Even though it cautions of the "habit-forming" quality of these apps, the step does not create mandatory rules.

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

The UK: An Evidence-Based Stance

For the United Kingdom, the administration has remained open to a possible ban, stating that "no option is being dismissed" but stressing any policy must be "based on strong research".

Last year, support gathered behind a proposal to introduce limits on social media use by teenagers, but it was in the end watered down. Nonetheless, the government pledged to conduct more studies the topic.

Campaign organizations have expressed apprehensions. A prominent charity founded by the family of a young person who was lost after being exposed to dangerous platform posts argues that a blanket age ban could fail to improve online safety and could lead to a "cliff edge" of exposure when teens become eligible.

"This ban is a answer to the inability of the social media companies to create platforms and apps that are secure and suitable for young users," said a prominent child protection advocate.

America: A State-by-State Picture

Across America, action is largely unfolding at the state level against a backdrop of federal stalemate.

• Utah requires parental consent for those under 18 to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• The state of Florida has signed a bill barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to court battles.
• Virginia has passed a rule capping under-16s to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with any further access dependent on a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise enacted measures requiring parental consent for under-16s to open social media profiles.

Despite bipartisan support and suggestions from some politicians to follow this lead, a nationwide ban is currently seen as a distant prospect.

International Outlook

Apart from the West, further countries are likewise considering moves.

• The Malaysian government plans to restrict social media for under-16s effective next year.
• Brazil has lifted the minimum age for the platform Instagram to 16.

Yet, world agencies adopt a more cautious position. A major UN agency has warned that age-based restrictions have downsides and "could prove counterproductive". The body highlights that online platforms can be a "vital connection" for marginalized children and that bans should not be a "replacement" for social media firms to improve safety.

While this international debate evolves, the steps of the Australian government and its followers indicate that states globally are no longer content to delay for tech companies to make changes on their own.