Social Media Ban for Kids: Will it become difficult for children below 16 years of age to use social media in the future? This question is currently a topic of discussion because the step which Australia had earlier implemented as a policy experiment, now seems to be becoming the basis of new policy in many countries of the world. Let us tell you that after Australia, more than 20 countries including UAE are working towards banning the use of social media by children or bringing such a law.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised this decision of Australia. After this, speculations have intensified that in the future India too may consider similar rules regarding the online safety of children. However, at present no such official decision has come from the Government of India.

In which countries has the ban been implemented?

The report has revealed that a ban on children’s use of social media has been implemented in 5 countries of the world. In which social media platforms for children below 16 years of age were banned in Australia from December last year. Whereas in China, strict rules are in force for minors from 2023. Indonesia implemented such a law in March this year, while Malaysia has also brought a similar rule. Türkiye is preparing to ban social media for children by the end of this year and UAE from next year.

Many big countries are also bringing new laws

Many countries of Europe and North America are also moving in this direction. According to the report, the UK and Greece plan to implement a ban on social media for children from 2027, while Sweden plans to implement it from 2028. Canada and Norway may also bring a new law this year. Apart from this, such rules are also being seriously considered in countries like Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Austria, Slovenia, France, Portugal, Spain and Italy.

Why is the demand for ban increasing?

This step is being taken due to increasing concerns regarding the mental and physical health of children. In which experts believe that excessive use of social media can increase problems like depression, anxiety, obesity, sleep problems and difficulty in concentrating in children. Supporters of the ban say social media platforms were not originally designed for children. But critics of this decision have a different opinion. He says merely imposing restrictions will not solve the problem as children can access social media in other ways. In such a situation, many experts consider digital education, parental control and safe online environment equally important.