Global Alarm: The World Considers Banning Teenagers from Social Media
A major global shift against the power of social media has begun, led by Australia. Starting today, children under the age of 16 in Australia are officially banned from using platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. This ground-breaking move, a world-first, is driven by serious worries about cyberbullying, damaging body image issues, and the impact of non-stop scrolling on teenage sleep.
Companies that don't properly enforce the ban face huge fines—up to £25 million. The Australian law demands rigorous age checks, perhaps using selfies, identification documents, or even biometric scanning. Already, Meta has closed the accounts of some younger teenagers. Critics, including TikTok, warn that the ban might just push kids towards less regulated, darker corners of the internet.
Despite some teenagers taking the law to the High Court, claiming it restricts their freedom of speech, most Australian parents support the move.
Europe and Asia Join the Fight
The action Down Under has ignited a firestorm of policy discussion across the world:
Europe is pushing hard: Denmark is working towards a ban for under-15s, with exceptions only for 13- and 14-year-olds if parents approve. France wants a strict age limit of 15 and is considering a "digital curfew" to stop older teens from scrolling late at night. A recent French investigation strongly criticised TikTok for sharing content that harms children, comparing its addictive nature to cigarettes or alcohol. Spain and Greece are collaborating on a European Union law to stop access under 15, while the Netherlands suggests a minimum age of 15 along with limits on screen time. The European Parliament is calling for a 16-plus rule and demanding a ban on the addictive algorithms aimed at minors.
Asia takes action:
Malaysia has introduced limits on how teens use social media to combat online bullying and scams. Indonesia is planning to raise its minimum age, and Singapore has already moved its under-18 users into strictly controlled "Teen Accounts" on platforms like Instagram.
Even Sweden is looking at bans after criminal gangs successfully used apps to lure 93 children under 15 into crime this year, a sharp three-fold increase.
While the UK and US have introduced laws to protect children online, they haven't yet adopted a total ban. The key question now is whether these tough new rules will genuinely protect young people from harm, or if tech-savvy teens will simply find ways around them. As a former tech engineer noted, these bans force companies to change their business models, which currently "profit from addiction."
New s
Would you like a summary of the main arguments for and against banning social media for teenagers?