🔗 Share this article

The nation's bold action to prohibit social platforms access for young people below 16 is creating waves worldwide. Officials, safety advocates, and families are watching closely to see if this approach will become a template for the rest of the world.

The European Trend

Across Europe, a rising group of countries are moving toward similar restrictions.

• The Danish government has stated a prohibition on social media for under-15s, with the leader stating that phones and networks are "stealing our youngsters' childhood". The policy is expected to be enacted in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to enforce a access barrier of 15, pointing to the need to protect children from the "influence of the AI".
• The Irish government is introducing a digital wallet to verify the user details of social media participants. Authorities have suggested that an similar ban remains "a potential tools in reserve".
• In The Spanish government, the prime minister has urged parliament to approve a bill increasing the legal age for using social media to 16.
• In France, the president has proposed a ban for children below 15, and a government panel has suggested a similar move, including an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in The Netherlands has advised guardians to prevent their children from social media before 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has passed a non-binding resolution demanding a ban for under-16s except if guardian approval is given. While it cautions of the "addictive" quality of these apps, the step does not create enforceable legislation.

"A clear age barrier is a useful foundation," said the European lawmaker driving the measure.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Eye

In the UK, the government has not ruled out a possible ban, stating that "no option is off the table" but maintaining any policy must be "supported by conclusive evidence".

Earlier, momentum grew behind a proposal to introduce limits on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end weakened. Nonetheless, the government committed to investigate the issue.

Advocacy groups have raised concerns. An organization established by the relatives of a girl who took her own life after encountering disturbing social media material argues that a strict age ban may not make platforms safer and could create a "cliff edge" of risk when teens reach the legal age.

"Australia's ban is a response to the failure of the tech sector to create tools that are secure and suitable for minors," stated a leading child protection advocate.

The US: A Fragmented Approach

In the United States, action is mostly occurring at the regional level amid national gridlock.

• The state of Utah mandates guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and limits overnight use.
• Florida has passed a law prohibiting children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it is entangled in legal challenges.
• Virginia has enacted a rule restricting under-16s to a single hour of social media access per day, with extra time requiring parental permission.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise enacted bills requiring adult authorization for teenagers to open social media accounts.

Despite cross-party agreement and proposals from certain individuals to mimic this path, a nationwide ban is presently seen as a distant prospect.

Global Views

Apart from the West, other states are also exploring options.

• The Malaysian government intends to prohibit social media for teenagers effective next year.
• Brazil has raised the access age for Instagram to 16.

Yet, international organizations adopt a more nuanced tone. The UN children's agency has warned that social media bans pose dangers and "may even have unintended consequences". The body highlights that the internet can be a "lifeline" for vulnerable youth and that government action should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to improve child safeguards.

While this international debate unfolds, the steps of this nation and its followers indicate that governments globally are no longer prepared to wait for tech companies to make changes on their own.