The Australian controversial policy to ban social media access for young people below 16 is sparking debate internationally. Politicians, campaigners, and guardians are watching intently to see if this strategy will set a precedent for other nations.
European Trend
Throughout Europe, a growing chorus of countries are moving toward parallel measures.
- Denmark plans a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the leader stating that phones and platforms are "taking away our children's innocence". A law is expected to be enacted next year.
- Norway is set to introduce a access barrier of 15, highlighting the need to shield children from the "power of the algorithms".
- The Irish government is working on a digital wallet to authenticate the identity and age of social media participants. The media minister have indicated that an Australia-style ban remains "a potential options under consideration".
- In Spain, the leader has called on the legislature to pass a law lifting the legal age for using social media to 16.
- In The French government, the leader has threatened a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has endorsed a similar step, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
- The administration in the Netherlands has advised parents to restrict their kids from social media until 15.
For the broader EU, the European parliament has adopted a advisory resolution demanding a ban for minors without a parent decides otherwise is given. While it highlights of the "compulsive" design of these apps, the move does not enact mandatory rules.
"A strong age barrier is a useful first step," commented the MEP supporting the resolution.
Britain: An Evidence-Based Approach
For the United Kingdom, the leadership has not ruled out a future ban, stating that "no measure is discarded" but maintaining any decision must be "grounded in conclusive evidence".
Last year, momentum grew behind a legislative effort to impose controls on social media use by minors, but it was in the end watered down. Nonetheless, the administration pledged to conduct more studies the matter.
Charities have voiced concerns. A prominent charity set up by the loved ones of a girl who died after encountering harmful platform posts suggests that a strict age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could result in a "dangerous transition" of exposure when teens become eligible.
"The Australian ban is a response to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to create tools that are appropriate and fit for minors," commented a prominent child protection advocate.
The US: A State-by-State Landscape
In the United States, regulation is largely occurring at the regional government level amid national inaction.
- Utah mandates adult approval for minors to use social media and restricts late-night use.
- Florida has passed a measure barring those below 14 from accessing social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
- The state of Virginia has approved a law restricting teenagers to a single hour of social media access per day, with additional access needing a guardian's okay.
- Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise enacted bills requiring parental consent for minors to set up social media accounts.
Even with widespread concern and calls from certain individuals to follow the Australian lead, a federal ban is presently seen as improbable.
International Perspectives
Outside of the West, further states are likewise taking action.
- Malaysia plans to prohibit social media for those under sixteen starting from next year.
- The Brazilian authorities has raised the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.
However, global agencies adopt a more cautious tone. A major UN agency has warned that age-based restrictions have downsides and "may even prove counterproductive". The body notes that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for vulnerable children and that regulation should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to improve user protection.
As this international conversation unfolds, the steps of the Australian government and its followers indicate that states internationally are increasingly prepared to wait for tech companies to make changes on their own.
