Governments are growing increasingly concerned with the effects of social media on children. Heavy participation on social media platforms is being blamed for youths’ struggles with screen addiction and bullying, as well as identified as a conduit for inappropriate explicit (often sexual) content. Australia’s social media ban (the world’s first) for anyone under 16 goes into effect next month, and the Danish government just announced plans to ban anyone under 15 from accessing social media. France, Spain, Norway, and South Korea are also responding legislatively to this issue. While social media platforms can certainly foster negative experiences – especially for vulnerable population groups like youths – they also provide important pathways to community for LGBTQ youth, and attempts to censor or ban social media often rely on moralizing sex panics. The European Commission – responsible for proposing new legislation for the European Union – is the latest governmental body committing to address such concerns via public policy.
Social Media on the Chopping Block for Youth Around the World
