🔗 Share this article

The Australian decisive move to prohibit social platforms access for those under 16 is sending ripples internationally. Politicians, safety advocates, and families are monitoring intently to see if this strategy will set a precedent for countries abroad.

Across Europe Movement

Throughout Europe, a increasing chorus of states are moving toward similar restrictions.

• Denmark plans a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the leader stating that smartphones and apps are "taking away our youngsters' youth". The policy may be formalized soon.
• Norway is set to implement a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard the young from the "influence of the algorithms".
• Ireland is working on a digital wallet to verify the identity and age of social media participants. Authorities have indicated that an similar ban could be "one of the options on the table".
• In Spain, the prime minister has asked lawmakers to enact a bill raising the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has threatened a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has suggested a similar move, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for older teenagers.
• The government in The Netherlands has urged parents to prevent their children from social media until 15.

At the EU level, the European parliament has passed a advisory statement supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 unless guardian approval is provided. While it cautions of the "addictive" nature of these services, the move does not create mandatory rules.

"An effective age limit is a good foundation," stated one parliamentarian supporting the measure.

The United Kingdom: A Watchful Stance

For the United Kingdom, the government has kept open a possible ban, stating that "no measure is off the table" but stressing any decision must be "supported by robust evidence".

Last year, interest built behind a proposal to impose controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was ultimately watered down. However, the government committed to investigate the topic.

Campaign organizations have voiced concerns. An organization founded by the family of a teenager who died after encountering harmful platform posts contends that a strict age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of exposure when young people reach the legal age.

"Australia's ban is a response to the inability of the tech sector to design platforms and apps that are secure and age appropriate for children," stated a influential online safety campaigner.

The United States: A Decentralized Landscape

In the United States, action is mostly happening at the state level against a backdrop of country-wide inaction.

• The state of Utah demands guardian permission for minors to use social media and limits nighttime use.
• Florida has enacted a law prohibiting children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it is entangled in constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has approved a rule restricting under-16s to one hour of social media access per day, with additional use requiring a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise enacted laws mandating guardian approval for under-16s to create social media accounts.

Even with cross-party agreement and proposals from certain figures to mimic this lead, a nationwide ban is right now seen as unlikely.

Worldwide Perspectives

Beyond Europe and the US, further countries are likewise taking action.

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

But, world organizations take a more cautious stance. Unicef has advised that age-based restrictions carry risks and "may even prove counterproductive". The body points out that the internet can be a "vital connection" for vulnerable youth and that bans should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to improve user protection.

As this global conversation unfolds, the policies of the Australian government and its followers show that governments globally are less and less content to stand by for platforms to make changes on their own.