🔗 Share this article

The nation's decisive policy to restrict social media access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves worldwide. Lawmakers, child protection groups, and families are observing with great interest to see if this strategy will become a template for countries abroad.

The European Trend

In Europe, a increasing group of countries are considering comparable measures.

• Denmark has stated a prohibition on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister arguing that smartphones and platforms are "robbing our youngsters' childhood". The policy is expected to be enacted in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to enforce a age restriction of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard the young from the "manipulative force of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is working on a online verification tool to verify the user details of social media users. The media minister have stated that an Australia-style ban is "a potential options on the table".
• In Spain, the president has asked the legislature to pass a bill raising the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a government panel has suggested a similar step, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in The Netherlands has advised parents to block their youngsters from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has approved a non-binding motion calling for a ban for under-16s unless guardian approval is granted. Even though it cautions of the "habit-forming" design of these platforms, the resolution does not enact binding law.

"A clear age restriction is a useful starting point," stated one European lawmaker behind the resolution.

The UK: A Watchful Approach

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has kept open a potential ban, stating that "no option is being dismissed" but maintaining any decision must be "supported by strong evidence".

Earlier, interest built behind a bill to introduce controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end weakened. However, the administration vowed to conduct more studies the matter.

Charities have raised warnings. A prominent charity set up by the family of a teenager who took her own life after being exposed to dangerous online content contends that a blanket age ban may not protect children and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of harm when teens become eligible.

"The Australian ban is a answer to the failure of the Silicon Valley to build platforms and apps that are secure and age appropriate for minors," commented a influential online safety campaigner.

The US: A State-by-State Approach

In the United States, action is largely occurring at the state level amid country-wide gridlock.

• Utah mandates adult approval for under-18s to use social media and restricts late-night use.
• Florida has signed a law banning children under fourteen from joining social media, though it faces court battles.
• Virginia has approved a law restricting minors to 60 minutes of social media time per day, with any further time requiring parental permission.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly introduced measures demanding parental consent for under-16s to create social media profiles.

Despite cross-party agreement and calls from certain politicians to mimic this example, a nationwide ban is currently seen as a distant prospect.

Global Perspectives

Apart from Europe and the US, further nations are also taking action.

• The Malaysian government plans to prohibit social media for under-16s starting from next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has increased the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.

Yet, international bodies strike a more nuanced tone. Unicef has cautioned that blanket prohibitions pose dangers and "might prove counterproductive". The organization highlights that social networks can be a "critical link" for isolated youth and that bans should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to invest in child safeguards.

While this worldwide discussion evolves, the steps of Australia and several other countries demonstrate that policymakers around the world are no longer prepared to stand by for platforms to act voluntarily.