Which Countries Consider Banning Social Media For Teens?

Many countries around the world consider bans on social media for teenagers.

Australia introduced a world-first law into the country’s parliament on Thursday, which would see social media banned for teenagers under the age of 16.

Some see these measures as necessary to protect young people from potential dangers online. When introducing the bill in parliament, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “We want young Australians to have a real childhood.”

“Social media has a social responsibility and as a government we have a responsibility to keep young Australians safe,” he said.

Some others saw it as a drastic step that could cut young people off from their peers. Elon Musk slammed the Australian government on X, earlier on Twitter and said the move “seems like a backdoor way to control access to the internet by all Australians.”

With opinion divided on Australia’s proposal, Newsweek see countries around the world considering similar initiatives.

Which Countries Consider Banning Social Media for Teens?

Australia

The Australian government has proposed legislation to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, etc. The bill, which has significant political support, aims to address online safety issues and the negative impact of social media on young people’s mental health. If passed, the law would impose fines of up to $50 million ($32.6 million) for non-compliance.

Newsweek have reached out to the Australian Prime Minister’s office via an online form for comment.

England

British ministers are considering banning social media for under-16s because of the harmful effects on their well-being. Peter Kyle, secretary of state for science, innovation and technology, said all options remained open, inspired by Australia’s recent action. Research has been commissioned to assess the impact of online platforms on young people, with the UK’s Online Safety Act aimed at removing harmful posts.

Newsweek has reached out to the British government via email for comment.

Norway

The Norwegian government plans to raise the minimum age for social media access from 13 to 15 to protect children from harmful online content. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre emphasized the importance of protecting young individuals in the digital space.

Newsweek has reached out to the Norwegian government via email for comment.

Which countries have imposed bans?

France

In 2023, France introduced legislation to ban children under the age of 15 from accessing online services without parental consent. European Union data regulations state that minors must be 16 for data processing, but individual members can lower the age limit.

What Are Concerns About Social Media Bans?

There are concerns that the ban could isolate and have a negative impact on young people.

Sir Peter Wanless, CEO of the British National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said Newsweek in his email, “Social media is now an integral part of young people’s lives. It gives them the opportunity to communicate with friends and family, learn and be creative.”

He added, “We understand the concern about children having access to social media that is fundamentally unsafe for them. However, children deserve an age-appropriate experience online rather than being cut off from it all.”

“To try and introduce a blanket ban under the age of 16, as we’ve seen in Australia, would punish children for the failure of tech companies to make their sites safe for young users and provide an age-appropriate experience,” Wanless said.

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