The Australian controversial action to restrict social media access for those under 16 is creating waves internationally. Lawmakers, child protection groups, and parents are watching with great interest to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for countries abroad.
Across Europe Momentum
In Europe, a increasing number of nations are considering parallel restrictions.
- Denmark has announced a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister declaring that phones and apps are "robbing our kids' innocence". The policy could be enacted in the coming year.
- Norway is planning to enforce a access barrier of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard children from the "power of the algorithms".
- Ireland is working on a digital wallet to authenticate the user details of social media users. Officials have indicated that an similar ban could be "a potential measures under consideration".
- In Spain, the president has urged parliament to approve a law raising the legal age for using social media to 16.
- In The French government, the head of state has floated the idea of a ban for under-15s, and a legislative committee has suggested a comparable action, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for older teenagers.
- The authorities in The Netherlands has advised parents to restrict their children from social media until 15.
For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has adopted a symbolic resolution demanding a ban for minors without guardian approval is provided. While it warns of the "habit-forming" design of these platforms, the resolution does not enact enforceable legislation.
"A strong age limit is a good foundation," stated the MEP behind the initiative.
Britain: A Watchful Stance
In the UK, the administration has not ruled out a possible ban, arguing that "no option is discarded" but stressing any action must be "supported by robust research".
Earlier, interest built behind a legislative effort to impose limits on social media use by minors, but it was eventually modified. Instead, the administration vowed to further research the issue.
Charities have raised concerns. An organization set up by the relatives of a girl who was lost after viewing dangerous platform posts suggests that a simple age ban might not improve online safety and could result in a "cliff edge" of exposure when teens become eligible.
"This ban is a reaction to the refusal of the tech sector to create products and services that are safe and suitable for young users," commented a leading online safety campaigner.
The US: A Fragmented Approach
Stateside, action is largely occurring at the state level amid national inaction.
- Utah demands guardian permission for minors to use social media and controls nighttime use.
- The state of Florida has enacted a law prohibiting those below 14 from creating accounts on social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
- Virginia has enacted a law capping teenagers to one hour of social media time per day, with additional use dependent on adult consent.
- The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have also enacted laws mandating parental consent for teenagers to set up social media presences.
Despite cross-party agreement and suggestions from certain politicians to copy the Australian lead, a nationwide ban is right now seen as unlikely.
International Views
Apart from these regions, other countries are also taking action.
- Malaysia intends to ban social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
- Brazil has raised the minimum age for Instagram to 16.
But, global organizations strike a more measured position. Unicef has advised that social media bans have downsides and "might prove counterproductive". The organization points out that online platforms can be a "vital connection" for vulnerable children and that government action should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to improve safety.
While this international debate continues, the policies of this nation and its followers show that policymakers internationally are less and less prepared to delay for the industry to self-regulate.
