Over 20 Countries Restrict Youth SNS Use Amid Debate Over Rights and Effectiveness

President Lee Jae-myung's directive on the 3rd for detailed and prompt discussions on restricting teenagers' use of social media is a measure already adopted or under review by countries worldwide.

The spread of such discussions is driven by growing momentum for regulating teenagers' access to social media due to various harms stemming from SNS addiction and exposure to harmful content.

Synthesizing reports from foreign media, countries around the world have recently been successively adopting policies to restrict teenagers' SNS use based on specific age thresholds.

The first country to break the tape was Australia.

In December last year, Australia became the world's first to block social media access for minors under 16.

Consequently, social media platforms that fail to take reasonable measures to prevent account ownership by users under 16 in Australia can face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (approximately 46.4 billion won).

Starting with Australia, discussions on restricting teenagers' SNS use have rapidly spread across the globe, including Europe, Asia, and South America.

The UK has decided to completely ban SNS use for users under 16 starting early next year, and to block late-night SNS use from midnight to 6 a.m. for teenagers aged 16 to 17.

Platforms subject to the regulations include YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter).

The British government's policy is to complete the relevant legislative procedures by the end of the year.

The governments of Canada, New Zealand, and Spain are also pushing for measures to ban children under 16 from using SNS.

In Greece, the use of SNS by teenagers under 15 will be legally banned starting next year, and the Danish government has also announced plans to ban teenagers under 15 from using certain SNS platforms.

The Austrian government has decided to block SNS access for users under 14.

Going a step further, the European Union (EU) is pushing for the enactment of the "EU Kids Act," which would completely ban children under 13 from using SNS across all 27 member states.

According to the bill, children under 13 would be completely banned from using social media such as TikTok or Instagram, while children aged 13 to 14 would only be allowed to use "mini accounts" under parental supervision, with restrictions on total usage time and contact with strangers.

In March, Indonesia became the first in Asia to implement government regulations prohibiting individuals under 16 from creating accounts on digital platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).

Malaysia subsequently implemented measures to ban teenagers under 16 from using SNS.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Türkiye banned SNS use for those under 15.

Brazil, the largest nation in South America, has also joined in.

Brazil has introduced a social media usage regulation law requiring teenagers under 16 to use SNS only under the management and supervision of legal guardians.

This mandates linking teenage accounts to legal guardians' accounts to receive guidance on content consumption.

According to AFP, more than 20 countries worldwide had processed such teenage SNS regulation bills as of late last month.

The rationale for SNS regulation put forward by governments worldwide is the protection of minors.

When announcing the ban on teenage SNS use in June, former UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, "These platforms are designed to expose children to dangerous content and get them addicted," adding, "(The ban) is about giving children back their childhood."

However, counterarguments have been raised that legally regulating teenagers' SNS use excessively infringes upon the basic rights of youth.

France pursued a policy to prevent teenagers under 15 from opening SNS accounts, but it hit a roadblock due to a ruling of unconstitutionality by the French Constitutional Council.

The Constitutional Council pointed out that the legal provisions inflicted an "inappropriate, unnecessary, and disproportionate infringement on the freedom of expression and communication of minors under 15."

However, the French government stated that the Constitutional Council did not reject the necessity of the bill itself and is refining and re-pursuing the legislation.

Controversy also continues over the effectiveness of the regulation.

According to a March announcement by the Australian government, 7 out of 10 parents surveyed responded that their children were still able to use SNS even after the ban took effect.

Earlier on this day, President Lee Jae-myung mentioned the debates over restricting youth SNS use in Europe, Australia, Canada, and elsewhere during a Cabinet meeting presided over at the presidential office, instructing Kim Jong-cheol, Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, to "look into the discussions thoroughly and promptly."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.