Australia Sees More Family Time Following Social Media Ban for Kids

Social psychologist Dr. Jonathan Haidt has noted that banning social media for children has led to a 30% increase in family time, as well as improvements in sleep and concentration for young Australians. He argues for a global adoption of such measures and highlights the need for government support to help parents navigate their children’s online activities and promote overall well-being.

Recently, France became the first EU nation to restrict social media use for kids under 15. Lawmakers there approved extensive legislation that mandates platforms to enforce age verification to protect children’s mental health and online safety.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated, “I’ve been committed to this, and the vote has now taken place. Social media will be banned for those under 15 starting this new school year.” He expressed gratitude to Congress members for their support and mentioned that the Constitutional Council’s ruling is the next step before the law is enforced.

Moreover, Britain has announced plans to prohibit platforms like TikTok and YouTube for users under 16, echoing similar initiatives. Other countries, including Spain, Greece, and Denmark, are also exploring minimum age restrictions.

According to reports, Australia’s regulations require platforms to take reasonable precautions to prevent accounts being created by users below the designated age. In contrast, French authorities plan to implement age verification systems to uphold the new law.

As of September, the new French law will prevent children under 15 from setting up new social media accounts, with age verification protocols mandated for all new users. By January 2027, these requirements will extend to existing accounts, compelling all users in France to confirm their age as over 15. Compliance with age verification technology approved by France’s privacy regulator will be necessary for all platforms.