Australia’s social media laws have triggered a global domino effect, with the European Union backing calls to ban children under 16 from social media.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signalled Europe would move towards setting a “digital age of majority” across the bloc at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Standing alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and 36 Months co-founders Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli and Rob Galluzzo, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “As a mother of seven and grandmother of five, I share this view.
“We all agree young people should reach a certain age before they smoke, drink, or access adult content. The same can be said for social media.”
Australia is the first nation to legislate a social media minimum age of 16. The 36 Months campaign led a grassroots movement that took grieving parents and a 147,000-signature petition to Albanese, who rapidly enacted changes to the law.
At his UN address (see video above), Wippa said: “Today I feel proud to be an Australian and a parent – not just because of our government and its policy, but because of our people and their power.”
36 Months co-founder Rob Galluzzo added: “This reform is a source of national pride and a global precedent. Leaders from Europe, Asia, and the Americas are now asking how they can follow Australia’s lead.”
Meta has recently taken steps to place teenagers suspected of lying about their age into a teen safety mode.
Previously the social media company had expressed concerns about Australia’s law and how it could be implemented, but is working with authorities on a solution.
Nonetheless, EU support is a ringing endorsement of Australia’s attempts to make social media a safer space for children.
Greece and Spain are already pushing for restrictions, and Denmark is prioritising the issue during its EU presidency. France has also driven the issue to the top of the agenda by recently passing a law requiring parental consent for social media users under the age of 15, higher than the 13-year-old limit set by the platforms themselves.
Its lawmakers have gone further, calling for a “digital curfew” for older minors, for example, between 10pm and 8am for 15 to 18-year-olds, with a particular focus on concerns about TikTok and content encouraging self-harm.
