Will Additional Countries Follow Australia's in Prohibiting Social Media for Under-16s?

Australia's decisive move to prohibit social media access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves worldwide. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and families are observing with great interest to see if this strategy will inspire imitation for other nations.

European Momentum

Throughout Europe, a growing number of states are moving toward parallel restrictions.

• Denmark has announced a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the prime minister arguing that phones and platforms are "stealing our kids' innocence". A law may be passed soon.
• Norway is preparing to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, citing the need to protect the young from the "influence of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is developing a digital ID system to verify the age and identity of social media users. The media minister have suggested that an Australian-model ban is "one of the tools in reserve".
• In Spain, the president has urged lawmakers to enact a proposal lifting the legal age for joining social media to 16.
• In The French government, the leader has threatened a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has recommended a comparable step, including an overnight "internet blackout" for adolescents.
• The authorities in the Netherlands has advised parents to block their youngsters from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the EU parliament has approved a non-binding statement supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 without a parent decides otherwise is granted. While it warns of the "compulsive" quality of these apps, the step does not create enforceable legislation.

"A clear age barrier is a useful foundation," stated a leading European lawmaker supporting the initiative.

Britain: A Cautious Approach

Across Britain, the leadership has kept open a potential ban, emphasizing that "no option is discarded" but stressing any policy must be "supported by robust research".

Earlier, momentum grew behind a legislative effort to enact limits on social media use by teenagers, but it was eventually watered down. Nonetheless, the administration committed to investigate the matter.

Campaign organizations have voiced apprehensions. A prominent charity established by the loved ones of a girl who took her own life after viewing dangerous platform posts suggests that a simple age ban may not make platforms safer and could result in a "dangerous transition" of risk when teens turn 16.

"This ban is a answer to the inability of the tech sector to build platforms and apps that are secure and suitable for children," commented a leading peer.

The United States: A Fragmented Approach

In the United States, regulation is primarily unfolding at the state level due to country-wide gridlock.

• Utah mandates adult approval for those under 18 to use social media and controls late-night use.
• Florida has signed a law barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it faces court battles.
• Virginia has passed a rule restricting under-16s to one hour of social media access per day, with extra access dependent on adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have also passed bills demanding parental consent for teenagers to open social media profiles.

Despite widespread concern and proposals from some individuals to mimic this path, a federal ban is right now seen as improbable.

Global Perspectives

Outside of Europe and the US, other states are similarly exploring options.

• Malaysia intends to restrict social media for teenagers beginning next year.
• Brazil has increased the required age for the platform Instagram to 16.

Yet, international agencies adopt a more measured stance. The UN children's agency has cautioned that age-based restrictions have downsides and "could have unintended consequences". The organization points out that online platforms can be a "critical link" for marginalized young people and that government action should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to prioritize child safeguards.

As this global conversation evolves, the steps of the Australian government and others demonstrate that governments around the world are no longer prepared to stand by for the industry to make changes on their own.