Countries Restricting Social Media Access for Young People

Sence being elected in 2024,I’ve visited schools across Plymouth and been shocked by what I’ve seen,” he said,writing in the London Telegraph. “An ever-increasing proportion of pupils have serious social, emotional and mental health needs. Teachers and students consistently tell me about the pressures of the online world.”

The UK already has the 2023 Online Safety Act, which sets tougher standards for social media platforms, including age restrictions too block minors from accessing harmful content. Enforcement of the law began this year,but it does not include an age limit for accessing social media.

Indonesia announced that people under 18 will need parental approval to access social media – a move that a major social media company warned would be a “disaster,” according to the director-general of the country’s Ministry of Interaction and Digital Affairs.

“Our response was: ‘Well,the disaster is happening already. Look at our children,’ fifi Aleyda Yahya told the ASPI Sydney Dialogue Summit last week.

Denmark said in November it would ban social media for children under 15, while allowing parents to grant exemptions for youngsters aged 13 and older to access certain platforms. Most parties in the Danish parliament have said they would support the plan before a formal vote.

In the same month, Malaysia announced it would ban social media for users under 16 starting next year.