Could Other Countries Pursue Australia's in Prohibiting Social Platforms for Youth Under Sixteen?

Australia's controversial policy to prohibit social platforms access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves worldwide. Officials, campaigners, and guardians are monitoring intently to see if this strategy will become a template for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Movement

Across Europe, a rising chorus of states are exploring comparable bans.

• Denmark has announced a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the PM declaring that phones and apps are "stealing our youngsters' childhood". A law could be formalized in the coming year.
• Norway is planning to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to shield the young from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is developing a online verification tool to verify the user details of social media participants. Authorities have indicated that an Australian-model ban remains "a potential tools on the table".
• In Spain, the prime minister has urged parliament to approve a proposal lifting the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has floated the idea of a ban for those under fifteen, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a related move, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The administration in The Dutch government has advised guardians to block their children from social media until 15.

Across the European Union, the European parliament has passed a advisory resolution supporting a ban for under-16s except if parental consent is provided. Even though it cautions of the "habit-forming" design of these services, the step does not enact enforceable legislation.

"A clear age limit is a useful foundation," commented one parliamentarian behind the initiative.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Eye

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has kept open a potential ban, stating that "nothing is discarded" but insisting any decision must be "grounded in robust research".

Previously, interest gathered behind a proposal to enact limits on social media use by minors, but it was in the end weakened. However, the administration pledged to further research the issue.

Advocacy groups have expressed warnings. One foundation set up by the relatives of a young person who took her own life after viewing harmful online content suggests that a blanket age ban could fail to protect children and could lead to a "cliff edge" of harm when users become eligible.

"The Australian ban is a response to the inability of the Silicon Valley to build platforms and apps that are appropriate and suitable for children," stated a influential online safety campaigner.

The US: A Fragmented Picture

In the United States, legislation is mostly happening at the regional government level against a backdrop of federal gridlock.

• Utah demands guardian permission for minors to use social media and controls late-night use.
• Florida has enacted a law barring children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• Virginia has passed a law capping under-16s to a single hour of social media use per day, with any further time needing parental permission.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly introduced laws requiring guardian approval for teenagers to create social media presences.

Even with bipartisan support and calls from various figures to copy the Australian example, a US-wide ban is currently seen as improbable.

International Perspectives

Beyond Europe and the US, other states are also considering moves.

• The Malaysian government plans to ban social media for teenagers starting from next year.
• Brazil has raised the required age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, world organizations adopt a more cautious tone. A major UN agency has cautioned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "could backfire". The organization highlights that online platforms can be a "critical link" for marginalized young people and that bans should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to prioritize user protection.

While this worldwide discussion continues, the policies of Australia and several other countries show that states around the world are no longer prepared to stand by for the industry to make changes on their own.