NEW YORK — social media ban rules are spreading fast, and the United Kingdom has now said it will set a minimum age of 16 for access to major social media platforms this month. The move pushes pressure on Big Tech beyond debate and into law, with more countries lining up behind stricter limits on children’s access to digital platforms.
The wave started gaining force after Australia set a precedent last year by imposing age limits on services such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, TikTok, and Snapchat. From London to Canberra, governments are sending the same message: children’s access to social platforms will no longer be left without a fence.
Parents’ worries are turning into policy
Arturo Béjar, a former Meta employee now known as a whistleblower, says he has spoken with parents in several countries. Their fear sounds familiar. They worry about the day their children become old enough to really live online.
“I have spoken to parents from several countries, and I have yet to meet the parent of a small child who is not frightened about the day their child gets old enough to be online. Or a young person who has not experienced something bad that could have been prevented,” Béjar said, according to The Guardian.
Béjar, 55, previously worked as a senior engineer and consultant at Meta. He also testified in a U.S. case that found Meta liable for allegedly designing addictive products on purpose and misleading consumers about platform safety. That trial in California helped harden the political mood in several countries.
His message was blunt.
“They [social media platforms] keep showing the world why we cannot trust them,” he said.
Meta rejected the ruling and said it would appeal. The company also said teen mental health is complex and cannot be reduced to a single cause. Meta added that it remains committed to building a safe and supportive environment for young people.
The UK, Australia and the spillover effect
The UK’s move does not stand alone. Indonesia and Malaysia have already adopted restrictions for users under 16 on certain platforms, while Austria, France and Norway are also considering similar age limits. Brazil has gone further, banning phones in schools entirely, while children under 16 may only access social media if connected to a parent’s account.
In the UK, the government is aiming to have the rule in place by spring 2027. Canada is moving in the same direction, with plans to bar children under 16 from using platforms unless the apps have adequate safeguards. In the United States, home to many of the biggest social media companies, the odds of a similar federal rule remain slim.
But outside the U.S., the debate has shifted. An independent panel of academic experts appointed by the UK government to study the effects of social media on teenagers described its findings as “nuanced.” Even so, Prime Minister Keir Starmer chose to move ahead.
The message is plain. Governments do not want to wait for perfect evidence while the risk to children is already visible. For parents, it signals that the state is stepping into a space long controlled by platforms.
Big Tech fights back with lobbying and campaigns
As governments tighten the screws, the tech industry is moving quickly too. Its lobbying budgets remain heavy. In the European Union, major tech companies spent about 150 million euros, or roughly Rp2.6 trillion, on lobbying last year, up one-third in just two years. Social media issues are now high on the agenda, even if artificial intelligence remains the biggest focus in meetings with the European Commission.
Meta was the biggest spender, at 10 million euros, according to the advocacy groups Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControl. One European Parliament member said technology companies were “bombarding” Brussels with messages opposing age limits for social media.
In the United States, that same lobbying muscle is being aimed at the Kids Online Safety Act, a bill under Senate consideration. The proposal would require social media platforms to take preventive steps against several harms to children, including compulsive use.
Meta is the largest tech lobbyist in the U.S., according to Issue One. The company is said to have one lobbyist for every six members of Congress. Between 2020 and 2024, major tech firms collectively spent $260 million on federal lobbying.
Meta says it supports “a uniform national standard for youth online safety.” It is a polished answer. But in many capitals, governments are saying the tightening cannot wait any longer.
Why the UK is being called a turning point
The Guardian reported that Theo Bertram of the Social Market Foundation, a former TikTok executive and adviser to two British prime ministers, called the UK move a “turning point” globally. In policy history, he said, change often starts with one or two countries taking a different path. Once countries with regulatory influence join in, the momentum can become much larger.
“In an era of populism, these companies are getting criticism, not only from mainstream politicians. Tech companies are losing public opinion, and politicians will move with that,” Bertram said.
That explanation helps show why a social media ban is no longer seen as a local policy fight. It is becoming a political barometer. Governments want to look like they are protecting children. Platforms want to protect access and their business model. Parents, in the middle of it all, just want their children to stay safe on the same glowing screen they open every day.
In the U.S., Darrell West of the Brookings Institution said state-level bans are “unlikely” to be widely adopted, and federal action also looks difficult because too many lawmakers oppose tech regulation. Yet that is precisely why the UK and Australia matter. Their choices now serve as examples for other countries deciding what comes next.
For Indonesia, the shift matters too. Age restrictions and child account verification could shape how platforms design safety features across Southeast Asia. If more major countries move together, the global standard for protecting children online could change faster than expected.
One number captures the scale of the fight: according to the campaign data cited in the report, Big Tech spent $260 million on federal lobbying over four years. That shows just how expensive the battle over the future of social media has become — and how much is still ahead.
📝 Leave a Comment
Comment as . Reviewed by an admin before it appears.