On December 10, 2025, Australia became the first country to enforce a nationwide ban on social media for children under 16. Social media companies now face fines of up to $50 million if they fail to take reasonable steps to prevent underage accounts. The law sent shockwaves through education policy circles worldwide. But here’s what matters more than the ban itself: what happens next. Countries across Europe, Asia, and beyond are watching Australia’s experiment closely. Some are already drafting their own versions. The question isn’t whether more nations will follow. It’s whether any of them can make these bans work in practice.

The Domino Effect Has Already Started

As of February 2026, France, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Germany, Italy, Greece, and Spain are considering similar restrictions for under-16s. Denmark secured parliamentary support to ban social media for anyone under 15, with the law potentially taking effect by mid-2026. According to government data, 94% of Danish children under 13 have profiles on at least one social media platform, and more than half of those under 10 do. That gap between policy and reality defines the challenge ahead. Norway proposed raising the age for social media use to 15, with 75% of the population supporting electronic age verification. The Norwegian government emphasised: “This is one of the most pressing social and cultural challenges of our time, and it cannot be solved through national measures alone.”

France moved quickly. In January 2026, the French National Assembly approved a government-backed bill banning social media use for children under 15. The legislation passed 116 votes to 23. Spain announced plans in February 2026 to ban access for users under 16. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the digital environment as a “digital wild west” and stated the government intends to require mandatory age-verification systems. Indonesia said in early March it plans to ban children under 16 from platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox.

Malaysia’s Aggressive Timeline and Privacy Concerns

Malaysia announced a ban for those under 16 starting in 2026, using an electronic know-your-customer (eKYC) approach. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said platforms would be required to implement identity checks using government-issued documents such as the MyKad identity card, passports, or the national digital ID. The stakes are high. A UNICEF report warns that one in four Malaysian children is exposed to sexual or disturbing online content. But the eKYC approach raises significant privacy concerns. Parents and digital rights advocates question whether requiring government ID verification creates surveillance infrastructure that could be misused. The tension between child protection and privacy rights isn’t unique to Malaysia. It’s the core dilemma every country implementing these bans will face.

The Mental Health Crisis Driving Policy

These bans aren’t happening in a vacuum. Professor Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist researching social media usage trends in the US, found that depression and anxiety in adolescent boys and girls accelerated between 2010 and 2020. In his book The Anxious Generation, he attributed this to the widespread adoption of smartphones. The harms include social and sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, addiction patterns, and exposure to frightening or violent content. In Norway, the proportion of children exposed to frightening or violent content increased from 51% in 2022 to 56% in 2024. The trend is worsening, not improving.

The Implementation Challenge No One Wants to Discuss

Here’s where policy meets reality. An opinion poll conducted by YouGov in November 2024 found that 77% of Australians supported the age limit. But only 25% believed it would work, compared to 67% who thought it would not achieve its aims. That disconnect reveals everything. Experts expressed significant concerns about whether Australia’s ban can be enforced effectively through age verification technology and compliance mechanisms. The key lesson for other countries is that age rules become politically easy to announce but technically hard to execute in a way that is both effective and rights-respecting.

The challenges include VPN usage to bypass geographic restrictions, false age declarations during account creation, borrowed or fake identification documents, platform compliance verification, privacy concerns with mandatory ID checks, and enforcement across international platforms. Denmark’s data shows the enforcement gap clearly: if 94% of children under 13 already have social media profiles despite existing age restrictions, what makes anyone think raising the age to 15 or 16 will suddenly work?

What This Means for Australian Educators and Parents

You’re watching a global experiment unfold in real time. Australia’s ban is now the test case for whether legislative action can protect children from documented mental health harms while respecting privacy and digital rights. The countries following Australia’s lead will learn from both successes and failures. But the fundamental tension remains: how do you enforce age restrictions on platforms designed to be accessible, shareable, and borderless?

For educators: The ban doesn’t eliminate the need for digital literacy education. Students will still access social media through various means, and they need skills to navigate online spaces safely. For parents: Legal restrictions provide a framework, but family conversations about screen time, online behaviour, and mental health remain essential. The law can’t replace parental involvement. The next 12 months will reveal whether Australia’s ban reduces documented harms or simply pushes young people toward less regulated platforms and workarounds. Either way, the global race to restrict social media for children has started. And the lesson from Australia’s experience is clear: the hard part isn’t passing the law. It’s making it work.