Both markets say the restrictions are coming into effect to protect children from inappropriate content and excessive social media use.
Ohio in the US and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are the latest to announce restrictions on children using social media.
A US Supreme Court ruled this week that Ohio state is free to implement a law that requires social media companies, including Meta and Google, to obtain parental consent before allowing children under 16 to sign up to their platforms.
This was previously protected by a lower-court ruling, which was overturned after the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit Court of Appeals found the law did not violate free speech protections.
The ruling was previously put on hold at the behest of tech trade group NetChoice, which argued the legislation would threaten online privacy. The group has been pursuing legal challenges in a number of states in a bid to prevent them from implementing ‘child safety’ laws that would restrict platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.
Writing the lead opinion on the ruling, US circuit judge Eric Clay, said: “At bottom, the Act imposes a parental consent requirement,” he wrote. “That requirement constitutes a marginal burden that precisely targets the multi-faceted problem that Ohio has identified: Children’s unsupervised assent to terms and conditions for use of platforms that take advantage of and harm them.”
Andy Wilson, Ohio attorney general, said in a statement the decision “gives parents the tools to be involved and provide oversight”.
Children u-15 banned in UAE from social media use
Meanwhile, the UAE has set a minimum age of 15 for social media use.
It is the first Arab country to introduce such restrictions and comes as more and more governments around the world, including in Australia, the UK, Greece, Spain among others move to restrict children’s access to social media.
The tightening of restrictions after a California jury found some social media platforms were designed to be addictive and could cause harm to children.
Under a resolution, approved on Thursday, children under 15 will be banned from creating, using or operating personal social media accounts. It includes posting content or joining public groups.
Children aged 15 and 16 will be allowed to use social media on the condition there are enhanced safeguards in place such as age-appropriate content controls, restrictions on interacting with unknown users, screen-time management tools and parental supervision features.
The rules apply to all platforms operating in the UAE and the companies will be required to implement robust age verification measures.
Tech companies will also be forced to disable accounts that have been created by children under 15 to avoid users from going around the restrictions.
The UAE government said the restrictions have been brought in to address concerns over children’s exposure to inappropriate content, unsafe online interactions and excessive social media use.
It confirmed the framework it will use aligns with international efforts to strengthen online child protection.
Social media companies have 12 months to comply with the new law.
For marketers, as the wave of countries imposing restrictions on social media use for children increases, they must think about where their audience will be and adapt their strategies accordingly.
