The nation's controversial policy to prohibit social media access for those under 16 is sending ripples around the globe. Politicians, child protection groups, and parents are monitoring with great interest to see if this strategy will inspire imitation for other nations.
The European Momentum
Across Europe, a rising group of nations are moving toward similar measures.
- Denmark plans a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the leader stating that smartphones and networks are "stealing our children's innocence". A law could be formalized next year.
- Norway is planning to introduce a age restriction of 15, highlighting the need to safeguard the young from the "power of the AI".
- The Irish government is introducing a online verification tool to authenticate the age and identity of social media account holders. Authorities have stated that an similar ban remains "an tools on the table".
- In The Spanish government, the president has urged parliament to pass a bill lifting the minimum age for using social media to 16.
- In France, the president has threatened a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has endorsed a related step, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
- The administration in the Netherlands has urged guardians to prevent their kids from social media before 15.
At the EU level, the European parliament has passed a advisory motion calling for a ban for minors unless a parent decides otherwise is given. Although it cautions of the "addictive" nature of these apps, the move does not create mandatory rules.
"An effective age limit is a useful foundation," said the parliamentarian behind the resolution.
The UK: A Cautious Stance
Across Britain, the leadership has remained open to a potential ban, arguing that "no option is being dismissed" but insisting any action must be "supported by strong data".
Previously, momentum built behind a legislative effort to enact restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was eventually watered down. Instead, the government pledged to further research the issue.
Charities have raised warnings. One foundation founded by the family of a young person who was lost after being exposed to dangerous platform posts argues that a simple age ban could fail to improve online safety and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of harm when young people become eligible.
"The Australian ban is a response to the refusal of the social media companies to build tools that are appropriate and fit for minors," said a influential child protection advocate.
America: A Decentralized Picture
In the United States, regulation is largely unfolding at the state government level against a backdrop of federal gridlock.
- The state of Utah mandates guardian permission for those under 18 to use social media and controls nighttime use.
- Florida has enacted a bill barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
- The state of Virginia has enacted a law capping teenagers to 60 minutes of social media use per day, with any further use needing a guardian's okay.
- The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also passed laws requiring adult authorization for minors to create social media accounts.
Even with cross-party agreement and proposals from some individuals to copy this lead, a nationwide ban is right now seen as improbable.
Worldwide Perspectives
Apart from Europe and the US, other states are also taking action.
- The Malaysian government aims to prohibit social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
- The Brazilian authorities has lifted the required age for one major platform to 16.
However, international organizations adopt a more cautious tone. Unicef has cautioned that blanket prohibitions have downsides and "may even have unintended consequences". The agency points out that social networks can be a "critical link" for vulnerable children and that bans should not be a "excuse" for platform operators to prioritize user protection.
While this international conversation evolves, the policies of the Australian government and several other countries demonstrate that states around the world are increasingly prepared to stand by for platforms to self-regulate.
