According to a YouGov poll published by the DPA news agency, about 77% of about 2,000 people surveyed said they would fully or partially support a similar law recently passed in Australia in Germany. Only 13% of those surveyed said they disagreed with the ban, while the rest did not have an answer.
As many as 82% of respondents were absolutely certain or fairly certain that social media use is in some way harmful to children and teens.
Some people see the content on social media platforms as causing harm, and many others are more concerned that social media can be addictive. According to the survey, about 52% believe both factors play an equal role.
Icons of social networking platforms on a smartphone screen. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Despite this, 9% were certain or quite certain that social media was not harmful to young people's health.
On November 29, the Australian Parliament passed a law banning children and teenagers from using social media by the end of 2025. This is the first law in the world and was passed with the support of both major parties in this Oceania country.
That means anyone under 16 in Australia will be blocked from using platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook, a move that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government and the Coalition say is necessary to protect children's mental health and wellbeing.
Under the law, social media companies could be fined up to A$50 million ($33 million) if they fail to take "reasonable measures" to keep under-16s off their platforms.
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