Over the past year, more than two dozen countries have proposed bans on social media use for minors, often under the guise of child safety. Australia became the first nation to ban under-16s from social media, emboldening other countries including Germany, France, the UK, Greece, the Philippines, and Indonesia to follow suit. In the US, age verification laws have been passed or are being considered in over half of states, with a package of 19 'child safety' bills advancing in the House of Representatives.
While such bans may appear prudent, critics warn they usher in mass surveillance and censorship. Removing online anonymity to identify underage users requires age-verification systems that collect sensitive biometric data and government IDs. These systems do not exist reliably—AI cannot accurately determine age, especially during puberty—so platforms must tie online profiles to offline identities, creating vast data repositories vulnerable to breaches. In October last year, Discord suffered a major breach of identity information collected for age verification.
There is little evidence that social media drives a widespread mental health crisis in children; studies have repeatedly shown the opposite. Instead, bans endanger both children and adults by facilitating government tracking of journalists, activists, and whistleblowers who rely on anonymity. Only the largest tech companies can afford age-verification costs, potentially forcing non-profit and indie platforms to close, further consolidating big tech power.
Alternative solutions include comprehensive data-privacy reform, breaking up big tech companies, and prosecuting anti-competitive behaviour. Broader social and economic policies that improve children's lives would be more effective. Social media remains a lifeline for marginalised youth, such as LGBTQ+ teens, and any policies limiting access should centre on the most vulnerable.
The core issue is that technological age verification does not work. Laws under consideration do not all specify which system will be used, but all raise significant privacy and safety concerns. Mass surveillance systems, once constructed, could be easily leveraged by governments and bad actors.
