Authorities around the world are tightening regulations on minors' access to social media. Following Australia, which became the first country in the world to ban the use of such platforms for children under 16 last December, nine more countries have announced they are preparing similar legislation or are considering doing so.
Australia's legislation has become the strictest to date. According to a report TechCrunchunder ban Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, and Kick were included for young users. An exception was made for WhatsApp messenger and the children's version of YouTube. Authorities have required tech companies to use multiple age verification methods to avoid relying solely on teenagers' honesty during registration. Failure to comply with the rules will result in fines for companies reaching AUD49,5 million (approximately $34 million).
Following Australia, the following states have announced similar intentions:
- Denmark
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- United Kingdom
Denmark plans to introduce restrictions for children under 15, hoping to pass the law as early as mid-2026. In France, a similar bill banning social media for minors under 15 has passed the lower house of parliament, but it still needs to be approved by the Senate.
In Germany, a conservative initiative to ban children under 16 has met with hesitation from their potential coalition partners. Greece, according to media reports, is close to announcing similar measures. Slovenia is preparing a bill that would affect platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram for children under 15. Spain is also planning to set the age limit at 16 and is also considering introducing personal liability for social media executives for inciting hatred on their platforms.
Restrictions are also being actively discussed in Asia. In March, Indonesia announced plans to block access to YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox for children under 16. Malaysia intends to introduce a similar ban for users under 16 this year.
The UK is currently consulting with parents and experts to assess the effectiveness of the proposed ban. British authorities are also exploring the possibility of requiring companies to remove or restrict features that encourage compulsive use, such as endless feeds.
Governments claim that such initiatives are aimed at protecting children's mental health and reducing risks such as cyberbullying and scams. However, human rights organizations, including Amnesty Tech, criticize this approach, calling the bans ineffective and ignoring the realities of modern teenagers. Critics also raise concerns about data privacy when implementing mandatory age verification systems.
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Source: 3dnews.ru
