The nation's controversial move to ban social media access for those under 16 is creating waves worldwide. Lawmakers, child protection groups, and parents are watching with great interest to see if this tactic will become a template for countries abroad.
Across Europe Trend
Throughout Europe, a increasing chorus of states are exploring parallel bans.
- Denmark has stated a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the PM declaring that smartphones and apps are "taking away our youngsters' childhood". Legislation is expected to be enacted in the coming year.
- Norway is set to introduce a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to shield children from the "influence of the recommendation systems".
- Ireland is working on a digital wallet to verify the user details of social media account holders. Officials have suggested that an Australian-model ban is "one of the options on the table".
- In Spain, the president has urged the legislature to enact a proposal lifting the legal age for using social media to 16.
- In The French government, the leader has threatened a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has suggested a comparable move, including an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
- The authorities in The Dutch government has urged families to restrict their children from social media before 15.
At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has passed a non-binding statement demanding a ban for minors without a parent decides otherwise is granted. Even though it cautions of the "habit-forming" nature of these platforms, the step does not create binding law.
"A strong age restriction is a solid foundation," said one European lawmaker driving the measure.
The UK: A Cautious Eye
Across Britain, the government has remained open to a possible ban, emphasizing that "no measure is off the table" but insisting any action must be "supported by strong data".
Previously, momentum built behind a legislative effort to introduce restrictions on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end watered down. Instead, the government vowed to conduct more studies the matter.
Campaign organizations have raised concerns. One foundation founded by the relatives of a teenager who took her own life after encountering harmful platform posts argues that a strict age ban might not make platforms safer and could lead to a "cliff edge" of exposure when teens become eligible.
"Australia's ban is a response to the refusal of the tech sector to create platforms and apps that are secure and suitable for young users," said a prominent child protection advocate.
America: A State-by-State Approach
In the United States, regulation is largely unfolding at the regional government level against a backdrop of federal inaction.
- Utah demands guardian permission for those under 18 to use social media and restricts late-night use.
- The state of Florida has passed a law banning under-14s from joining social media, though it is entangled in legal challenges.
- The state of Virginia has enacted a rule capping teenagers to 60 minutes of social media use per day, with extra time requiring adult consent.
- The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also enacted measures mandating guardian approval for under-16s to open social media profiles.
Even with cross-party agreement and proposals from certain figures to copy Australia's path, a nationwide ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.
Global Views
Beyond the West, other states are similarly considering moves.
- The Malaysian government plans to restrict social media for under-16s starting from next year.
- Brazil has raised the access age for Instagram to 16.
However, global agencies adopt a more cautious stance. The UN children's agency has warned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "may even prove counterproductive". The body highlights that online platforms can be a "critical link" for isolated young people and that government action should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to improve child safeguards.
Even as this international conversation continues, the policies of Australia and several other countries indicate that governments internationally are no longer willing to stand by for platforms to make changes on their own.
