The Australian decisive action to prohibit social media access for young people below 16 is sending ripples internationally. Officials, safety advocates, and parents are monitoring closely to see if this approach will inspire imitation for other nations.
Across Europe Momentum
Throughout Europe, a growing chorus of nations are considering similar restrictions.
- Denmark has announced a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the PM stating that phones and networks are "robbing our children's innocence". Legislation may be passed in the coming year.
- Norway is set to implement a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to shield young people from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
- Ireland is introducing a digital wallet to authenticate the user details of social media account holders. Officials have suggested that an Australia-style ban could be "one of the measures on the table".
- In Spain, the prime minister has called on the legislature to enact a bill lifting the minimum age for using social media to 16.
- In France, the leader has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a related step, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
- The authorities in The Netherlands has urged guardians to prevent their youngsters from social media until 15.
For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has passed a advisory statement calling for a ban for minors except if a parent decides otherwise is given. While it cautions of the "addictive" quality of these services, the resolution does not create binding law.
"A strong age limit is a useful first step," stated one parliamentarian behind the measure.
The UK: A Cautious Approach
Across Britain, the government has kept open a possible ban, emphasizing that "no option is discarded" but insisting any policy must be "grounded in robust data".
Previously, interest gathered behind a bill to introduce restrictions on social media use by teenagers, but it was in the end watered down. Instead, the government vowed to conduct more studies the topic.
Campaign organizations have expressed concerns. One foundation set up by the loved ones of a girl who was lost after encountering harmful online content suggests that a blanket age ban might not make platforms safer and could result in a "cliff edge" of harm when young people turn 16.
"The Australian ban is a reaction to the failure of the social media companies to design tools that are safe and age appropriate for children," commented a leading peer.
The US: A Decentralized Picture
In the United States, legislation is mostly happening at the state level against a backdrop of country-wide stalemate.
- Utah mandates parental consent for minors to use social media and restricts overnight use.
- Florida has signed a bill banning under-14s from joining social media, though it is entangled in court battles.
- The state of Virginia has approved a law limiting teenagers to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with any further access requiring a guardian's okay.
- Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed bills demanding guardian approval for minors to create social media presences.
Even with bipartisan support and proposals from certain individuals to follow this path, a federal ban is right now seen as unlikely.
Global Views
Beyond these regions, further countries are likewise exploring options.
- The Malaysian government plans to restrict social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
- The Brazilian authorities has lifted the required age for the platform Instagram to 16.
But, international agencies adopt a more nuanced stance. Unicef has advised that social media bans pose dangers and "may even prove counterproductive". The agency highlights that online platforms can be a "critical link" for vulnerable children and that government action should not be a "excuse" for tech companies to prioritize child safeguards.
While this worldwide debate unfolds, the steps of the Australian government and several other countries demonstrate that governments internationally are less and less willing to stand by for tech companies to self-regulate.
