Australia wants to ban kids from social media. Is the USA next?

Key Points

• Australia states and territories unanimously support ban of social media access under 16 years old

• Ban would take place within one year of successful vote in Parliament

• Established accounts will be removed if the user is under 16

• There will be no parental consent exception to the age ban

• Some experts are concerned this ban will not stop kids accessing social media

• Children under 16 will still have access to health and educational services online

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Australia is taking a cautious approach to reform social media access and safety for those under the age of 16. While many of the political leaders and parents support this effort, some have their doubts about the efficacy and reality of this kind of ban on social media. Australia is one of many countries trying to put parameters in place to make social media a safer place for children and young adults.

Why is Australia banning kids under 16 years old from social platforms?

The Australian government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, stated that the ban of social media for those under the age of 16 is to help mitigate the harm that social media can have on children and to protect them from mental and emotional damage. Australia’s legislation would be some of the most stringent, with no parental exceptions for those under 16, and it would also remove anyone already on social media platforms that are under 16. Albanese said that this proposed ban was in response to parental concerns about the negative impact social media can have on younger children. 

What other countries have limited children’s use of social media?

Although the most extreme, Australia isn’t the only country that has limited social media use among children under the age of 18. In 2023, France imposed a ban on social media for those under 15, unless given parental permission. 

In Europe overall, a new law was launched called the Digital Services Act. It forbids social media companies from targeting children and also requires prompts to take breaks and disable autoplay. 

In China, the Cybersecurity Law and Minor Protection Law was rolled out which limits what content is available to kids and imposes time limits on daily online use.

Has the United States done anything to curb kids’ social media usage?

Many states in the U.S have passed legislation that require social media companies to make their sites more child-friendly by age-restricting access, blocking certain content and limiting contact through messaging tools.  While there have been efforts at a federal level to put age-restrictions on social media into place, these bills have failed to progress past all of the layers of government and are still in limbo.  

Youth social media statistics and trends

The statistics around social media use in adolescents has become a cause for concern in recent years. Studies have found that almost 70% of teens under 18 struggle with some level of social media addiction. 

Teens are spending an average of 5 hours on social media per day, with the high end a staggering 9 hours a day. Teens with the highest percentage of social media use reported low parental monitoring, poor parental relationships and very poor mental health. 

Plus, 22%percent of teens with the highest social media usage also reported suicidal ideation, versus 2% who had strong parental connection and monitoring. Poor body image was also indicated in the highest 17% of teens with excessive social media consumption. 

What is social media addiction?

Social media has a significant presence in society with an estimated 4.8 billion people worldwide with active accounts. This number is expected to grow to 6 billion daily users by 2027. With widespread use, there is a higher risk of people developing unhealthy behaviors around social media. 

Social media addiction, or problematic social media use (PSMU) is a compulsive or obsessive need to use social media. Social media addiction is different from regular technology consumption, as the overuse negatively impacts other areas of someone's life. It does not just affect teens and young adults, but also adults and children. Social media addiction may affect someone's job, school work, personal relationships, mental or physical health. While social media addiction is not an official diagnosis in the DSM-5, it has become significantly relevant in this day and age with the number of people seeking support for overuse of social media on the rise as well. 

Signs of social media addiction in kids

Social media addiction may not be obvious at first glance, but there are signs and behaviors that parents can be aware of that may indicate a problem. Compulsive social media use can present in a variety of ways, and knowing the signs can be helpful in gauging if someone's social media use is within a normal range or harmful. 

Common signs and symptoms of social media addiction include:

• Uncontrollable social media use, unable to stop despite attempts

• Social media usage replacing in-person connections

• Combating negative feelings with social media use

• Prioritizing social media over other responsibilities

• Mood swings around social media

• Changes in sleep or eating habits, or personal hygiene

• Symptoms of withdrawal when not using social media

• Fear of missing out (“FOMO”) when not on social media

Social media addiction treatment options

Treatment for social media addiction will depend on an individual's needs and the resources available to them. Treatment may include various types of therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing or dialectical behavioral therapy. 

Often, social media addiction withdrawal does not have the same physical symptoms as substance abuse withdrawal and can be done in an outpatient setting. Birches Health offers virtual treatment with therapists who are trained in social media addiction.

Here are some ways to get started with Birches Health:

• Book an Appointment

• Speak with our Care Team 

• Refer Someone You Know

You can also just call 833-483-3838 or email hello@bircheshealth.com to connect with the Birches team right away.

Sources:

• Australia plans social media ban for under-16s

• Australian states back national plan to ban children younger than 16 from social media

• Australia proposes 'world-leading' ban on social media for children under 16

• Outside the US, teens’ social media experiences are more tightly controlled

• States get serious about limiting kids’ social media exposure

• Heterogeneity of Prevalence of Social Media Addiction Across Multiple Classification Schemes: Latent Profile Analysis

• Teens are spending nearly 5 hours daily on social media. Here are the mental health outcomes

• Six addiction components of problematic social media use in relation to depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms: a latent profile analysis and network analysis

• Social Networking Sites and Addiction: Ten Lessons Learned