The nation's bold move to restrict social media access for those under 16 is creating waves worldwide. Lawmakers, campaigners, and guardians are watching intently to see if this approach will set a precedent for the rest of the world.
Across Europe Momentum
Throughout Europe, a growing group of countries are considering parallel bans.
- Denmark plans a prohibition on social media for under-15s, with the prime minister arguing that mobile devices and networks are "robbing our kids' youth". A law is expected to be passed next year.
- Norway is set to introduce a age restriction of 15, pointing to the need to shield the young from the "influence of the algorithms".
- Ireland is introducing a digital ID system to confirm the age and identity of social media account holders. Authorities have indicated that an Australian-model ban remains "an options on the table".
- In The Spanish government, the prime minister has urged lawmakers to pass a law raising the minimum age for using social media to 16.
- In The French government, the leader has proposed a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has suggested a similar action, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for older teenagers.
- The administration in the Netherlands has advised families to block their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.
Across the European Union, the EU parliament has adopted a symbolic statement supporting a ban for minors without a parent decides otherwise is given. Although it cautions of the "addictive" quality of these platforms, the resolution does not enact mandatory rules.
"A strong age restriction is a useful starting point," said one MEP driving the resolution.
Britain: A Watchful Stance
In the UK, the leadership has kept open a future ban, emphasizing that "nothing is being dismissed" but maintaining any policy must be "grounded in conclusive research".
Last year, momentum built behind a legislative effort to impose restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was eventually weakened. Nonetheless, the government vowed to investigate the matter.
Charities have voiced warnings. An organization established by the family of a young person who took her own life after viewing harmful online content argues that a strict age ban may not improve online safety and could create a "dangerous transition" of risk when teens turn 16.
"The Australian ban is a reaction to the inability of the tech sector to create products and services that are appropriate and fit for young users," commented a influential peer.
The United States: A Fragmented Picture
In the United States, action is primarily happening at the state level amid country-wide gridlock.
- The state of Utah requires parental consent for under-18s to use social media and controls nighttime use.
- Florida has signed a measure prohibiting under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it faces court battles.
- Virginia has approved a law capping teenagers to a single hour of social media access per day, with extra use dependent on a guardian's okay.
- The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly enacted measures mandating guardian approval for minors to open social media accounts.
Despite bipartisan support and calls from certain figures to mimic this example, a federal ban is currently seen as improbable.
International Outlook
Beyond Europe and the US, other countries are also taking action.
- Malaysia plans to ban social media for teenagers effective next year.
- Brazil has lifted the required age for one major platform to 16.
However, international agencies strike a more measured position. The UN children's agency has advised that blanket prohibitions have downsides and "might have unintended consequences". The agency points out that social networks can be a "vital connection" for isolated youth and that government action should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to invest in child safeguards.
Even as this worldwide discussion unfolds, the steps of the Australian government and several other countries demonstrate that policymakers globally are no longer content to wait for tech companies to make changes on their own.
