🔗 Share this article

The Australian controversial move to restrict social networking access for young people below 16 is creating waves internationally. Officials, campaigners, and guardians are monitoring intently to see if this strategy will set a precedent for the rest of the world.

European Momentum

Throughout Europe, a rising chorus of countries are considering parallel bans.

• The Danish government has stated a restriction on social media for youth below 15, with the leader declaring that mobile devices and networks are "robbing our children's innocence". Legislation could be passed in the coming year.
• The Norwegian government is planning to enforce a access barrier of 15, pointing to the need to protect the young from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• The Irish government is working on a online verification tool to authenticate the user details of social media users. The media minister have indicated that an Australia-style ban could be "one of the measures in reserve".
• In Spain, the leader has urged the legislature to approve a bill increasing the minimum age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has threatened a ban for those under fifteen, and a parliamentary commission has suggested a comparable action, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The administration in The Dutch government has urged guardians to restrict their children from social media until 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has adopted a advisory motion supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 except if a parent decides otherwise is provided. While it warns of the "compulsive" nature of these services, the move does not establish binding law.

"An effective age limit is a useful first step," said a leading parliamentarian behind the measure.

The UK: A Cautious Stance

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has not ruled out a potential ban, stating that "no measure is off the table" but insisting any policy must be "based on conclusive data".

Previously, support gathered behind a legislative effort to impose limits on social media use by under-16s, but it was eventually watered down. Instead, the government committed to further research the matter.

Advocacy groups have expressed warnings. An organization established by the relatives of a girl who died after being exposed to disturbing social media material argues that a blanket age ban might not improve online safety and could result in a "cliff edge" of risk when users become eligible.

"This ban is a reaction to the refusal of the tech sector to design platforms and apps that are secure and suitable for children," commented a prominent peer.

The US: A State-by-State Picture

Stateside, regulation is mostly occurring at the local government level against a backdrop of national stalemate.

• The state of Utah demands parental consent for minors to use social media and controls overnight use.
• The state of Florida has signed a bill prohibiting under-14s from accessing social media, though it faces court battles.
• Virginia has passed a rule limiting minors to a single hour of social media time per day, with additional access dependent on adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise enacted laws demanding adult authorization for minors to set up social media profiles.

Despite bipartisan support and proposals from certain politicians to mimic this example, a federal ban is presently seen as improbable.

Global Outlook

Beyond Europe and the US, further nations are similarly taking action.

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

But, global organizations adopt a more cautious stance. Unicef has warned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "may even have unintended consequences". The organization highlights that online platforms can be a "critical link" for marginalized children and that government action should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to invest in safety.

While this international debate unfolds, the actions of this nation and several other countries indicate that states globally are less and less willing to delay for tech companies to make changes on their own.