Australia Enacts First National Social Media Ban for Under‑16s

Australia Enacts First National Social Media Ban for Under‑16s

  • Social media ban platforms (Meta, TikTok, Snapchat) must block users under 16
  • Fines over $49.5 million for non-compliance
  • Government testing photo-based age estimation tools
  • Teens like Jasmine Elin say kids may still bypass checks using siblings’ photos
  • Aimed at protecting mental and physical health of young users

Other Global Efforts to Curb Teen Social Media Use

Britain

  • Exploring impact of smartphones & social media on children
  • Passed the Online Safety Act in 2023
  • Enforces age restrictions and safety-by-design standards
  • Regulator Ofcom to ensure transparency & accountability from platforms

Norway

  • Proposed raising social media consent age from 13 to 15
  • Parental approval required if underage
  • Plans underway to set an absolute minimum age
  • Data: Half of 9-year-olds use social media in some form

European Union (General Rules)

  • Children under 16 need parental permission for personal data processing
  • Member states may lower age limit to 13

France

  • Law requires parental consent for under-15s to open accounts
  • In 2023, Macron-led panel suggested stricter measures:
    • Ban on phones for under-11s
    • No internet-enabled phones for under-13s

Germany

  • Parental consent required for minors aged 13–16
  • Child advocates call for stronger protections

Belgium

  • Children need to be at least 13 to sign up without parental consent

Netherlands

  • No specific law on social media age
  • Mobile devices banned (social media ban) in classrooms since Jan 2024 (exceptions apply)

Italy

  • Under-14s need parental permission to join social platforms

Above 14, no permission required

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