Australia's bold move to restrict social media access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves internationally. Officials, safety advocates, and guardians are observing with great interest to see if this strategy will set a precedent for countries abroad.
The European Trend
Across Europe, a rising number of states are exploring parallel measures.
- Denmark has stated a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the PM stating that mobile devices and apps are "stealing our children's youth". Legislation could be formalized next year.
- Norway is preparing to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, citing the need to shield the young from the "manipulative force of the AI".
- The Irish government is working on a digital wallet to confirm the identity and age of social media users. Authorities have indicated that an Australia-style ban is "a potential options under consideration".
- In Spain, the prime minister has asked lawmakers to enact a bill increasing the minimum age for joining social media to 16.
- In France, the leader has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a similar step, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for older teenagers.
- The government in the Netherlands has advised guardians to restrict their children from social media up to the age of 15.
For the broader EU, the EU parliament has passed a symbolic resolution demanding a ban for under-16s without guardian approval is granted. While it warns of the "habit-forming" quality of these platforms, the move does not create mandatory rules.
"A strong age barrier is a good foundation," stated the MEP behind the measure.
The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Approach
Across Britain, the leadership has remained open to a future ban, stating that "no measure is discarded" but insisting any policy must be "grounded in strong evidence".
Earlier, interest gathered behind a proposal to impose limits on social media use by minors, but it was ultimately weakened. Nonetheless, the government committed to investigate the topic.
Charities have raised warnings. An organization founded by the relatives of a young person who died after viewing dangerous platform posts argues that a simple age ban might not improve online safety and could result in a "cliff edge" of exposure when users reach the legal age.
"This ban is a response to the inability of the Silicon Valley to build platforms and apps that are secure and suitable for minors," stated a prominent child protection advocate.
The United States: A Decentralized Landscape
Across America, legislation is primarily occurring at the regional level due to federal gridlock.
- Utah demands guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
- Florida has signed a measure prohibiting children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
- Virginia has approved a regulation limiting under-16s to one hour of social media time per day, with any further use requiring parental permission.
- Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also passed bills mandating adult authorization for teenagers to create social media presences.
Even with cross-party agreement and calls from various figures to follow the Australian lead, a US-wide ban is presently seen as improbable.
International Perspectives
Outside of the West, other countries are similarly exploring options.
- Malaysia plans to ban social media for under-16s starting from next year.
- Brazil has increased the minimum age for Instagram to 16.
Yet, international bodies adopt a more measured stance. Unicef has advised that social media bans have downsides and "could have unintended consequences". The body points out that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for isolated youth and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for tech companies to improve child safeguards.
Even as this worldwide debate continues, the actions of Australia and others demonstrate that governments around the world are less and less content to stand by for platforms to self-regulate.
