The Australian bold policy to prohibit social networking access for individuals under sixteen is sending ripples internationally. Officials, child protection groups, and parents are monitoring with great interest to see if this approach will inspire imitation for countries abroad.
Across Europe Movement
Across Europe, a growing number of countries are exploring parallel bans.
- Denmark has announced a ban on social media for under-15s, with the leader declaring that phones and apps are "robbing our children's childhood". The policy may be formalized in the coming year.
- Norway is planning to implement a minimum age limit of 15, citing the need to protect the young from the "influence of the algorithms".
- Ireland is introducing a online verification tool to verify the user details of social media participants. Authorities have suggested that an Australia-style ban remains "one of the options in reserve".
- In Spain, the prime minister has asked the legislature to approve a bill increasing the minimum age for using social media to 16.
- In The French government, the head of state has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a comparable action, alongside an overnight "digital curfew" for older teenagers.
- The authorities in The Netherlands has recommended parents to prevent their kids from social media up to the age of 15.
At the EU level, the EU parliament has adopted a non-binding motion supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 except if parental consent is provided. While it warns of the "compulsive" nature of these apps, the resolution does not create binding law.
"A strong age barrier is a good first step," commented a leading parliamentarian behind the resolution.
The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Eye
In the UK, the government has kept open a future ban, emphasizing that "nothing is being dismissed" but maintaining any action must be "grounded in conclusive research".
Earlier, momentum grew behind a legislative effort to introduce controls on social media use by minors, but it was ultimately weakened. However, the government vowed to further research the topic.
Charities have expressed apprehensions. An organization founded by the relatives of a girl who was lost after being exposed to dangerous online content suggests that a blanket age ban may not improve online safety and could create a "cliff edge" of harm when users reach the legal age.
"This ban is a response to the failure of the Silicon Valley to create products and services that are safe and fit for young users," stated a prominent online safety campaigner.
The United States: A State-by-State Landscape
Stateside, legislation is primarily happening at the local level amid national stalemate.
- Utah requires parental consent for minors to use social media and limits late-night use.
- Florida has signed a law banning children under fourteen from joining social media, though it faces legal challenges.
- The state of Virginia has passed a law limiting minors to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with extra access dependent on a guardian's okay.
- Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed laws mandating parental consent for under-16s to create social media accounts.
Despite widespread concern and proposals from some individuals to mimic this path, a federal ban is presently seen as unlikely.
International Views
Beyond these regions, additional states are similarly exploring options.
- Malaysia aims to ban social media for under-16s beginning next year.
- Brazil has increased the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.
But, global organizations adopt a more nuanced tone. A major UN agency has warned that social media bans pose dangers and "might have unintended consequences". The organization points out that social networks can be a "critical link" for marginalized young people and that government action should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to improve user protection.
Even as this worldwide debate evolves, the policies of the Australian government and others demonstrate that states around the world are increasingly prepared to wait for tech companies to self-regulate.
