The Australian bold policy to restrict social platforms access for young people below 16 is sending ripples around the globe. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and families are watching closely to see if this tactic will set a precedent for countries abroad.
The European Trend
Throughout Europe, a increasing group of countries are considering parallel restrictions.
- Denmark plans a restriction on social media for youth below 15, with the leader arguing that mobile devices and platforms are "stealing our children's childhood". A law could be enacted in the coming year.
- The Norwegian government is planning to introduce a access barrier of 15, citing the need to safeguard the young from the "manipulative force of the AI".
- Ireland is developing a online verification tool to confirm the user details of social media users. Officials have suggested that an Australia-style ban could be "one of the tools in reserve".
- In Spain, the leader has asked the legislature to pass a bill raising the minimum age for using social media to 16.
- In The French government, the leader has threatened a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has endorsed a similar step, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for older teenagers.
- The authorities in The Netherlands has advised guardians to restrict their children from social media up to the age of 15.
For the broader EU, the European parliament has passed a advisory resolution calling for a ban for minors except if guardian approval is given. Even though it highlights of the "habit-forming" quality of these platforms, the move does not create binding law.
"An effective age barrier is a solid starting point," stated a leading European lawmaker supporting the measure.
Britain: An Evidence-Based Eye
Across Britain, the government has kept open a potential ban, stating that "nothing is off the table" but stressing any decision must be "grounded in robust research".
Last year, momentum built behind a bill to impose controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was ultimately modified. Instead, the administration pledged to investigate the topic.
Advocacy groups have voiced apprehensions. One foundation set up by the family of a young person who took her own life after viewing disturbing online content suggests that a simple age ban may not improve online safety and could result in a "sudden drop-off" of risk when users become eligible.
"The Australian ban is a answer to the refusal of the tech sector to design tools that are appropriate and age appropriate for children," said a prominent online safety campaigner.
The US: A Fragmented Approach
Across America, regulation is mostly occurring at the regional level amid country-wide stalemate.
- The state of Utah demands guardian permission for those under 18 to use social media and limits late-night use.
- Florida has signed a law barring those below 14 from creating accounts on social media, though it faces legal challenges.
- The state of Virginia has passed a rule limiting teenagers to a single hour of social media use per day, with extra access dependent on adult consent.
- Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also introduced bills requiring guardian approval for teenagers to create social media profiles.
Despite widespread concern and suggestions from certain individuals to mimic this lead, a nationwide ban is right now seen as unlikely.
International Outlook
Beyond Europe and the US, other states are similarly considering moves.
- The Malaysian government plans to prohibit social media for under-16s starting from next year.
- Brazil has raised the minimum age for the platform Instagram to 16.
However, world bodies strike a more nuanced stance. A major UN agency has advised that social media bans pose dangers and "may even prove counterproductive". The body highlights that the internet can be a "lifeline" for isolated youth and that bans should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to prioritize child safeguards.
While this global discussion continues, the steps of this nation and others demonstrate that governments around the world are no longer content to delay for platforms to self-regulate.
