HeadlinesBriefing favicon HeadlinesBriefing.com

Global Movement to Restrict Kids' Social Media

New York Times Top Stories •
×

Meta’s landmark settlement of up to $17.1 billion with U.S. states and territories on Wednesday over claims it endangered children with addictive social media platforms ended one struggle with regulators. But Meta — and its peers across the industry — still face many others around the world. The company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, and other tech giants have faced a slew of bans and restrictions internationally in the last year, as the movement to shield young people from social media’s potential harms seems to be gaining ground globally.

Still, those bans and restrictions have faced setbacks and obstacles. Even some world leaders who say they may support such bans in theory are questioning the approach or its effectiveness. These are some of the countries where social media for young people has already been banned or restricted and some that have been contemplating similar steps over the last year.

Denmark announced a plan to bar anyone under 15 from certain platforms. Australia’s ban for under 16s went into effect in December, but surveys showed about 70 percent of parents said teenagers still had access. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said in February that Spain would ban social media for under 16s. Indonesia introduced a ban in March, and Brazil required under 16s to link accounts to a guardian.

Austria, Turkey, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, and Britain have also announced or implemented restrictions. Many face implementation difficulties, and free-speech advocates warn of privacy risks.