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Australia's decisive action to prohibit social media access for individuals under sixteen is sending ripples internationally. Officials, safety advocates, and parents are monitoring closely to see if this tactic will become a template for the rest of the world.

European Trend

Throughout Europe, a rising number of nations are exploring comparable restrictions.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the leader arguing that mobile devices and platforms are "taking away our kids' childhood". A law is expected to be passed soon.
• The Norwegian government is preparing to introduce a minimum age limit of 15, citing the need to safeguard young people from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• The Irish government is working on a online verification tool to verify the identity and age of social media participants. The media minister have stated that an similar ban is "one of the options in reserve".
• In Spain, the leader has asked lawmakers to approve a bill lifting the legal age for joining social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has threatened a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has recommended a related action, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for older teenagers.
• The government in the Netherlands has recommended guardians to restrict their kids from social media up to the age of 15.

Across the European Union, the European parliament has passed a symbolic motion supporting a ban for minors unless parental consent is granted. Even though it warns of the "habit-forming" design of these apps, the step does not create enforceable legislation.

"A strong age restriction is a good foundation," said a leading MEP driving the initiative.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Stance

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has kept open a potential ban, arguing that "nothing is being dismissed" but insisting any action must be "grounded in conclusive research".

Earlier, momentum built behind a legislative effort to introduce limits on social media use by teenagers, but it was ultimately modified. Nonetheless, the administration vowed to conduct more studies the topic.

Advocacy groups have raised warnings. A prominent charity established by the family of a young person who took her own life after viewing harmful social media material argues that a simple age ban may not make platforms safer and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of exposure when users reach the legal age.

"The Australian ban is a reaction to the refusal of the social media companies to create platforms and apps that are appropriate and fit for minors," commented a leading online safety campaigner.

America: A Decentralized Picture

In the United States, legislation is mostly occurring at the regional level amid federal stalemate.

• Utah requires parental consent for those under 18 to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• The state of Florida has passed a measure barring children under fourteen from joining social media, though it faces court battles.
• The state of Virginia has enacted a law limiting minors to 60 minutes of social media time per day, with any further access requiring adult consent.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have also enacted laws requiring adult authorization for under-16s to create social media presences.

Despite widespread concern and calls from various politicians to follow the Australian example, a nationwide ban is right now seen as unlikely.

International Views

Apart from Europe and the US, other countries are likewise taking action.

• The Malaysian government aims to ban social media for those under sixteen beginning next year.
• Brazil has raised the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.

Yet, global organizations take a more nuanced position. Unicef has warned that social media bans have downsides and "may even have unintended consequences". The body notes that social networks can be a "critical link" for vulnerable youth and that government action should not be a "excuse" for platform operators to improve child safeguards.

While this international conversation continues, the actions of the Australian government and several other countries show that policymakers globally are no longer prepared to stand by for tech companies to act voluntarily.