Australia's bold policy to ban social platforms access for those under 16 is sending ripples worldwide. Lawmakers, campaigners, and families are watching with great interest to see if this strategy will set a precedent for the rest of the world.
Across Europe Movement
In Europe, a growing group of states are moving toward parallel bans.
- Denmark has announced a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the PM stating that smartphones and apps are "taking away our youngsters' youth". Legislation could be formalized in the coming year.
- Norway is preparing to enforce a access barrier of 15, highlighting the need to protect the young from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
- Ireland is introducing a digital wallet to confirm the user details of social media users. The media minister have indicated that an Australian-model ban remains "a potential measures on the table".
- In Spain, the prime minister has asked lawmakers to pass a bill lifting the legal age for accessing social media to 16.
- In The French government, the leader has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a similar action, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for adolescents.
- The administration in The Dutch government has urged parents to restrict their youngsters from social media before 15.
At the EU level, the EU parliament has approved a symbolic statement calling for a ban for under-16s except if a parent decides otherwise is granted. Even though it warns of the "compulsive" quality of these services, the move does not establish mandatory rules.
"A clear age limit is a solid starting point," commented a leading parliamentarian supporting the resolution.
Britain: An Evidence-Based Stance
In the UK, the leadership has remained open to a future ban, stating that "no option is off the table" but insisting any decision must be "based on robust data".
Previously, momentum built behind a bill to impose controls on social media use by minors, but it was in the end modified. Nonetheless, the government vowed to further research the topic.
Advocacy groups have voiced warnings. One foundation founded by the loved ones of a girl who was lost after being exposed to dangerous platform posts suggests that a blanket age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could create a "cliff edge" of exposure when young people turn 16.
"This ban is a reaction to the failure of the Silicon Valley to build tools that are appropriate and fit for minors," said a influential online safety campaigner.
The United States: A State-by-State Landscape
Stateside, legislation is largely unfolding at the local government level amid country-wide gridlock.
- Utah mandates guardian permission for minors to use social media and controls overnight use.
- The state of Florida has passed a law banning children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it is entangled in constitutional disputes.
- Virginia has enacted a regulation restricting minors to a single hour of social media use per day, with extra access needing a guardian's okay.
- Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise passed measures mandating guardian approval for minors to create social media profiles.
Even with cross-party agreement and suggestions from some figures to copy the Australian example, a US-wide ban is currently seen as unlikely.
Global Outlook
Apart from Europe and the US, other nations are also taking action.
- Malaysia aims to ban social media for those under sixteen beginning next year.
- The Brazilian authorities has lifted the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.
Yet, world agencies strike a more nuanced stance. Unicef has advised that age-based restrictions carry risks and "might have unintended consequences". The body notes that the internet can be a "critical link" for marginalized youth and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to improve user protection.
While this global discussion unfolds, the actions of the Australian government and several other countries demonstrate that states internationally are no longer willing to delay for the industry to self-regulate.
