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"We're going to be watching really closely"  politicians around the world are
taking inspiration from Australia's social media ban

Date:  Mon, 08 Dec 2025 17:40:40 +0000

Description:
As Australia implements its strict age verification regime, worldwide
politicians are taking notes. So, which country will be next to kick off 
teens from social media apps?

FULL STORY

With Australia's landmark social media restrictions set to come into force in
just two days, global policymakers are closely watching Australia. 

Starting from December 10, the likes of Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, 
TikTok, YouTube, and others will be required to take "reasonable steps" to
prevent under-16s from using their platforms. Fines for failing to do so can
reach $49.5 million AUD (approximately $32 million USD). 

Australia isn't the first country to implement mandatory age verification 
this year. In the UK, for example, social media platforms must verify that
users are at least 18 to access certain content deemed "harmful." 

The implemention of age checks has  proven to be anything but bulletproof,
with many users in the UK, US, and Europe turning to the best VPN apps as an
easy workaround. 

To counter this, platforms in Australia are expected to " stop under-16s from
using VPNs " to evade the social media ban, though it's unclear whether they
would be effective in the first place. 

What's certain is that the world is watching closely and several governments
are already considering similar laws. So, which could be next?

The UK could replicate it "if it it is successful"

The government said it wanted to make the UK "the safest place in the world 
to be online," when it passed the Online Safety Act back in 2023 and banning
under-16s from social media platforms may be the next natural development. 

 Talking to PoliticsHome , the chair of the Childrens Online Safety All-Party
Parliamentary Group (APPG), Joani Reid, praised Australia's upcoming rules 
and said that the UK might look to replicate "if it is successful and
implemented well." 

"We're all going to be watching really, really closely Good on Australia, it
sends a really clear message, more than anything, that social media is
inappropriate for children," she said, echoing similar stances previously
expressed by other MPs.

A US State-by-state regime -- for now

Around half of all US states have now implemented some form of age
verification following the introduction of Missouris restrictions on adult
websites at the end of November. And federal legislation may soon follow, 
with Congress considering a range of proposals, including controversial rules
for App Store age verification . 

Currently, the main federal safeguard is still the Children's Online Privacy
Protection Act (COPPA), which prevents companies from collecting data from
users under 13 without parental consent. 

Several states have enforced stricter social media laws, most notably
Mississippi, where Bluesky withdrew from the market rather than comply. 
Recent allegations that Meta concealed potential child harm are likely to
intensify calls for reform, with Australia's new law expected to serve as a
key reference point in upcoming debates.

EU already considering an Australia-like ban

The EU has moved beyond just watching Australia's ban; it's laying the
groundwork for its own . On November 26, 2025, the European Parliament voted
in favor of banning children under 16 from accessing social media platforms
(483 votes to 92). 

Led by Danish Social Democrat Christel Schaldemose, the resolution calls on
the European Commission to remedy Europe's "fragmented approach to age
assurance" by establishing consistent verification standards across the bloc. 

On a national level, France, Spain, Germany, and Denmark are already
considering new rules for children using social media apps, though most of
these proposals still rely heavily on parental consent rather than a hard 
ban.

Malaysia wants an under-16 ban in 2026 

Finally, Malaysia has confirmed its plans to ban social media for users under
16 starting in 2026, according to recent reports from Al Jazeera . 

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil confirmed the government is currently
reviewing the verification systems used by Australia and other nations with
the aim of establishing a compliance framework "by next year." 

While this specific ban is in its early stages, it aligns with the country's
ongoing commitment to address social media harms. Platforms have already 
faced increased regulation and services with over 8 million users must now
hold a valid license to operate.

What's next?

While it's too early to determine if Australia's under-16s social media ban 
is the correct approach, the legislation has definitely caught the attention
of global policymakers and is likely to provoke a wave of new laws globally. 

According to the government, that's exactly what it was hoping for. "When
youve got Australia, a middle power taking on these global giants  it has
helped that we have others in our corner now," Prime Minister Anthony 
Albanese said, defending his decision to authorize a reported $100,000 trip 
to New York City for Minister Anika Wells. The delegation's goal was to
promote Australias social media ban directly to global leaders at the UN
General Assembly. 

However, industry experts remain divided on the potential outcomes of
permanently barring children from social media apps. Meanwhile, privacy
advocates have repeatedly expressed concerns over the increased data
collection required for age assurance. 

These tensions between policymakers and global privacy advocates are expected
to continue as Australia and other countries impose similar bans. For now,
it's uncertain whether such measures can be implemented while preserving
privacy, or if they are destined to spread globally regardless of those
concerns. 

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For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms
and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and
strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone
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Publishing. 

======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/were-going-to-be-watching-r
eally-closely-politicians-around-the-world-are-taking-inspiration-from-austral
ias-social-media-ban

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