Global youth social media regulations face scrutiny amid effectiveness debates

As countries worldwide implement stricter regulations on social media use for minors, a new EBS documentary explores the effectiveness of these bans and the perspectives of the youth involved. Australia became the first to ban social media for those under 16, while France has moved to restrict access for those under 15. While Australia has seen over 750,000 accounts deleted, challenges regarding age verification technology persist.

In South Korea, where seven bills to restrict youth social media use are currently pending in the National Assembly, an EBS survey of 571 students ranging from fourth grade to high school revealed that 68.3% oppose a blanket two-hour daily limit. The study found that youth happiness is more closely linked to loneliness and social comparison on platforms rather than total screen time.

Instead of uniform bans, surveyed youth expressed a preference for technical assistance (36.1%) and self-imposed rules (34.3%) to manage their usage. The documentary examines alternative approaches, such as schools and families establishing collaborative digital usage guidelines.