The Australian bold action to prohibit social networking access for young people below 16 is creating waves worldwide. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and families are monitoring intently to see if this strategy will become a template for countries abroad.
The European Momentum
Throughout Europe, a rising number of countries are moving toward similar bans.
- Denmark has stated a restriction on social media for youth below 15, with the PM declaring that phones and platforms are "stealing our kids' youth". Legislation is expected to be formalized next year.
- Norway is preparing to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to shield the young from the "influence of the recommendation systems".
- Ireland is introducing a digital ID system to authenticate the identity and age of social media participants. Officials have indicated that an Australian-model ban could be "a potential options under consideration".
- In The Spanish government, the prime minister has urged lawmakers to enact a bill raising the minimum age for accessing social media to 16.
- In The French government, the head of state has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a government panel has recommended a comparable action, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
- The authorities in The Dutch government has urged families to restrict their children from social media before 15.
For the broader EU, the EU parliament has adopted a symbolic statement supporting a ban for minors unless a parent decides otherwise is provided. Although it cautions of the "habit-forming" nature of these services, the resolution does not create enforceable legislation.
"An effective age barrier is a good first step," stated one parliamentarian supporting the measure.
Britain: An Evidence-Based Stance
In the UK, the administration has remained open to a future ban, stating that "nothing is being dismissed" but insisting any action must be "supported by robust research".
Previously, interest grew behind a legislative effort to impose restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was eventually watered down. Nonetheless, the government vowed to further research the issue.
Charities have expressed apprehensions. An organization established by the family of a young person who died after encountering harmful platform posts suggests that a strict age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of harm when teens turn 16.
"This ban is a reaction to the inability of the Silicon Valley to create platforms and apps that are appropriate and fit for young users," stated a leading online safety campaigner.
The US: A Fragmented Picture
In the United States, legislation is mostly happening at the state government level amid national stalemate.
- The state of Utah requires adult approval for minors to use social media and controls nighttime use.
- Florida has passed a measure barring those below 14 from accessing social media, though it is entangled in constitutional disputes.
- The state of Virginia has enacted a law limiting teenagers to one hour of social media use per day, with any further access needing a guardian's okay.
- The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise enacted laws requiring adult authorization for minors to create social media profiles.
Even with cross-party agreement and suggestions from various figures to follow the Australian example, a US-wide ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.
International Outlook
Outside of Europe and the US, other nations are also taking action.
- The Malaysian government plans to restrict social media for under-16s beginning next year.
- Brazil has raised the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.
Yet, world agencies adopt a more cautious position. A major UN agency has warned that social media bans have downsides and "may even have unintended consequences". The agency highlights that social networks can be a "lifeline" for marginalized young people and that government action should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to improve user protection.
While this global conversation evolves, the steps of this nation and several other countries indicate that policymakers globally are less and less willing to wait for the industry to make changes on their own.
