The Australian bold policy to restrict social media access for young people below 16 is creating waves worldwide. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and guardians are observing intently to see if this strategy will become a template for the rest of the world.
European Momentum
Across Europe, a growing number of states are considering similar bans.
- Denmark has announced a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the PM declaring that mobile devices and networks are "robbing our youngsters' youth". Legislation is expected to be enacted soon.
- Norway is set to enforce a age restriction of 15, pointing to the need to protect children from the "influence of the AI".
- Ireland is working on a online verification tool to verify the user details of social media participants. The media minister have stated that an Australia-style ban is "a potential options under consideration".
- In Spain, the leader has asked lawmakers to enact a bill lifting 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 step, including an overnight "screen time restriction" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
- The government in the Netherlands has urged families to restrict their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.
Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has adopted a symbolic resolution supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 unless parental consent is granted. While it cautions of the "compulsive" quality of these apps, the move does not create mandatory rules.
"A strong age barrier is a solid starting point," commented the MEP behind the measure.
Britain: A Cautious Eye
In the UK, the government has remained open to a possible ban, emphasizing that "nothing is being dismissed" but insisting any action must be "supported by strong evidence".
Earlier, momentum grew behind a bill to enact limits on social media use by teenagers, but it was in the end weakened. However, the administration pledged to further research the matter.
Charities have voiced warnings. A prominent charity set up by the relatives of a teenager who took her own life after being exposed to harmful social media material contends that a simple age ban could fail to improve online safety and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of exposure when users become eligible.
"The Australian ban is a answer to the failure of the tech sector to create tools that are safe and fit for minors," commented a influential peer.
The United States: A Fragmented Approach
Stateside, action is primarily unfolding at the local level amid federal gridlock.
- Utah demands parental consent for minors to use social media and restricts late-night use.
- Florida has enacted a measure prohibiting those below 14 from joining social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
- The state of Virginia has enacted a law capping minors to a single hour of social media time per day, with additional access dependent on parental permission.
- Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise introduced laws mandating parental consent for teenagers to open social media presences.
Despite cross-party agreement and proposals from certain figures to copy Australia's example, a federal ban is right now seen as improbable.
Worldwide Views
Outside of the West, additional states are similarly considering moves.
- Malaysia aims to restrict social media for teenagers effective next year.
- Brazil has lifted the access age for Instagram to 16.
However, world bodies take a more nuanced tone. The UN children's agency has cautioned that age-based restrictions have downsides and "may even prove counterproductive". The body points out that the internet can be a "critical link" for marginalized youth and that bans should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to prioritize child safeguards.
Even as this international discussion unfolds, the steps of this nation and others show that policymakers around the world are less and less content to stand by for tech companies to self-regulate.
