🔗 Share this article

The Australian bold action to ban social networking access for young people below 16 is sparking debate around the globe. Politicians, campaigners, and families are monitoring closely to see if this approach will become a template for other nations.

European Momentum

Across Europe, a growing chorus of states are exploring comparable bans.

• Denmark plans a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the leader declaring that smartphones and networks are "taking away our youngsters' youth". Legislation is expected to be passed soon.
• Norway is set to implement a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard young people from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• Ireland is introducing a digital wallet to authenticate the user details of social media users. Authorities have suggested that an Australian-model ban is "one of the options in reserve".
• In Spain, the prime minister has asked parliament to approve a bill increasing the legal age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a legislative committee has recommended a comparable step, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in The Dutch government has urged guardians to block their kids from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the EU parliament has adopted a advisory statement supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 unless parental consent is given. Although it warns of the "addictive" quality of these apps, the move does not enact enforceable legislation.

"A strong age restriction is a useful foundation," said a leading MEP behind the resolution.

The UK: A Watchful Approach

In the UK, the leadership has not ruled out a potential ban, emphasizing that "no measure is discarded" but insisting any decision must be "grounded in strong data".

Previously, momentum built behind a proposal to introduce limits on social media use by under-16s, but it was eventually weakened. However, the government committed to investigate the issue.

Charities have raised concerns. One foundation set up by the loved ones of a young person who was lost after being exposed to harmful platform posts argues that a simple age ban could fail to improve online safety and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of risk when young people turn 16.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the failure of the Silicon Valley to build tools that are appropriate and age appropriate for minors," said a influential online safety campaigner.

America: A State-by-State Approach

In the United States, regulation is mostly happening at the regional level due to country-wide stalemate.

• The state of Utah mandates guardian permission for minors to use social media and controls overnight use.
• The state of Florida has enacted a bill barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is entangled in constitutional disputes.
• The state of Virginia has passed a rule restricting under-16s to one hour of social media access per day, with extra access needing a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise introduced laws demanding parental consent for minors to open social media accounts.

Despite cross-party agreement and proposals from some politicians to copy Australia's lead, a US-wide ban is presently seen as improbable.

International Views

Apart from Europe and the US, additional nations are similarly considering moves.

• The Malaysian government aims to prohibit social media for those under sixteen starting from next year.
• Brazil has raised the minimum age for Instagram to 16.

Yet, world organizations strike a more cautious position. A major UN agency has warned that blanket prohibitions pose dangers and "could backfire". The agency highlights that online platforms can be a "critical link" for vulnerable children and that government action should not be a "excuse" for platform operators to invest in safety.

While this international conversation evolves, the policies of the Australian government and others show that policymakers internationally are less and less content to wait for the industry to make changes on their own.