Will other countries follow Australia's social media ban for under-16s?

"Europe Denmark has said it will ban social media for under-15s, with the prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, saying mobile phones and social media are stealing our children's childhood. The policy could become law next year. Norway is bringing in a minimum age limit of 15. The prime minister, Jonas Gahr Stre, has said the country must protect children from the power of the algorithms. Ireland is introducing a digital wallet to verify the age and identity of social media users."

"The media minister, Patrick O'Donovan, said this month an Australia-style ban was one of the things that we are holding in reserve. In Spain, the prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, has called on parliament to pass a bill raising the minimum age for using social media to 16. In France, the president, Emmanuel Macron, has threatened to ban social media for under-15s and a parliamentary commission has also recommended such a move,"

Australia has enacted a ban on social media for under-16s. Several European countries are proposing similar restrictions: Denmark aims to ban under-15s, Norway plans a minimum age of 15, and Spain seeks to raise the minimum to 16. Ireland will introduce a digital wallet to verify users' age and identity, while France has proposed bans for under-15s and a possible overnight curfew for 15- to 18-year-olds. The Netherlands advises parents to block children until 15. The European Parliament passed a non-binding resolution calling for under-16 bans unless parents decide otherwise, and appetite remains to expand oversight beyond existing rules.

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