🔗 Share this article

The Australian bold move to restrict social networking access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves around the globe. Officials, child protection groups, and guardians are observing closely to see if this tactic will become a template for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Momentum

Throughout Europe, a rising chorus of nations are exploring similar bans.

• Denmark has announced a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the PM arguing that mobile devices and networks are "robbing our kids' innocence". Legislation could be formalized next year.
• The Norwegian government is set to implement a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard young people from the "manipulative force of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is introducing a online verification tool to confirm the user details of social media users. The media minister have suggested that an similar ban remains "an measures under consideration".
• In Spain, the prime minister has called on the legislature to approve a law increasing the legal age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has proposed a ban for those under fifteen, and a government panel has endorsed a similar step, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in The Netherlands has advised parents to prevent their children from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has passed a non-binding resolution supporting a ban for under-16s unless parental consent is provided. While it warns of the "addictive" quality of these apps, the resolution does not establish binding law.

"A clear age restriction is a solid first step," stated a leading parliamentarian driving the measure.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Eye

In the UK, the administration has kept open a future ban, arguing that "no measure is discarded" but insisting any action must be "grounded in conclusive data".

Last year, interest gathered behind a legislative effort to enact restrictions on social media use by under-16s, but it was ultimately watered down. Nonetheless, the administration vowed to further research the matter.

Campaign organizations have voiced concerns. An organization founded by the relatives of a girl who took her own life after being exposed to disturbing social media material contends that a blanket age ban could fail to improve online safety and could result in a "cliff edge" of harm when users reach the legal age.

"This ban is a reaction to the inability of the tech sector to build platforms and apps that are appropriate and suitable for children," stated a leading peer.

The US: A Fragmented Approach

In the United States, action is primarily happening at the state level amid federal inaction.

• Utah mandates parental consent for those under 18 to use social media and limits late-night use.
• Florida has enacted a law banning those below 14 from accessing social media, though it is entangled in court battles.
• Virginia has enacted a rule capping minors to a single hour of social media access per day, with additional use requiring a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise enacted bills mandating parental consent for under-16s to set up social media accounts.

Even with bipartisan support and proposals from certain politicians to follow Australia's example, a US-wide ban is presently seen as unlikely.

Global Views

Beyond Europe and the US, additional countries are likewise exploring options.

• Malaysia plans to ban social media for under-16s effective next year.
• Brazil has lifted the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, global agencies strike a more cautious stance. The UN children's agency has advised that blanket prohibitions carry risks and "could prove counterproductive". The organization highlights that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for isolated youth and that regulation should not be a "replacement" for tech companies to improve child safeguards.

Even as this global discussion unfolds, the policies of this nation and its followers demonstrate that governments globally are less and less willing to stand by for tech companies to self-regulate.