TOKYO: Japan is considering imposing age-based restrictions on social media, joining a broader global push to manage risks to young users.
The government is weighing a requirement for social media platforms to apply age-based filtering by default, according to materials released Wednesday (April 22) by a Communications Ministry panel.
Specific age thresholds were not discussed, with some experts noting that uniform age limits may not be the best approach given differences in risks associated with each platform.
The panel is due to issue a report this summer that may lead to legal revisions or new guidelines by the end of this year. While current Japanese law already urges mobile carriers and Internet providers to enable filtering for minors, it is not required if parents opt out of such measures.
Japan’s moves would follow steps taken elsewhere to protect adolescents online. Australia in December banned 4.7 million accounts held by young users, while countries including the UK, Greece and Indonesia are pursuing similar measures.
In the US, a California court in March ordered Meta Platforms Inc. and Alphabet Inc. to pay a combined $6 million after ruling that their platforms were deliberately designed to be addictive, a finding seen as a step toward tighter oversight.
Pressure on social media companies has been building over addictive design features and harmful content, which critics say can damage children’s cognitive development and mental health. In Japan, teenagers spent nearly 70 minutes a day on social media on weekdays, almost double the overall national average, according to a ministry survey.
Some psychologists have also linked social media use to mental health risks including cyberbullying, body dysmorphia, eating disorders and suicide. Over 27,000 cases of defamation, abuse or other unpleasant experiences via computers and mobile phones were reported in 2024, steadily rising in recent years, according to an Education Ministry report.
Still, Australia’s rollout of the ban has shown mixed results. Some parents report improved behavior, while others say children are bypassing the restrictions or shifting to other apps. Children can still view content on platforms that don’t require users to log in, even if they cannot post, comment or send messages.
Drawing on the challenges seen in Australia, Wednesday’s discussion extended to practical implementation issues. Some experts proposed using mobile carrier subscriber data to verify users’ ages, while others urged caution over privacy risks. Participants also questioned how effective filtering would be if users can bypass checks by entering false ages.
The Japanese government panel’s proposal also calls for a rating system to assess platforms based on safeguards such as content filters, time limits and advertising restrictions, allowing users to compare risks more easily.
LINE and YouTube remain among the most widely used platforms among teenagers in Japan, according to a ministry report in 2024. Instagram has seen rapid growth in recent years, reaching 75% of teenagers in 2024, up from 25% a decade earlier. - Bloomberg
