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The Australian decisive policy to restrict social media access for those under 16 is creating waves worldwide. Officials, campaigners, and guardians are watching with great interest to see if this strategy will become a template for other nations.

European Momentum

Across Europe, a rising chorus of states are considering parallel restrictions.

• Denmark plans a ban on social media for under-15s, with the prime minister declaring that smartphones and apps are "robbing our youngsters' childhood". The policy may be passed soon.
• Norway is planning to introduce a access barrier of 15, pointing to the need to protect young people from the "manipulative force of the AI".
• The Irish government is working on a online verification tool to confirm the user details of social media users. Officials have stated that an Australia-style ban could be "an measures in reserve".
• In Spain, the president has urged lawmakers to approve a law raising the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has threatened a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has suggested a related move, potentially involving an overnight "internet blackout" for older teenagers.
• The government in The Dutch government has urged parents to restrict their kids from social media until 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has adopted a non-binding motion demanding a ban for under-16s without a parent decides otherwise is provided. Even though it cautions of the "compulsive" design of these services, the resolution does not enact mandatory rules.

"An effective age limit is a useful starting point," said the parliamentarian behind the resolution.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Stance

In the UK, the administration has kept open a future ban, arguing that "no option is off the table" but maintaining any action must be "supported by strong research".

Previously, support grew behind a bill to enact restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was ultimately modified. Nonetheless, the government vowed to investigate the matter.

Charities have raised apprehensions. A prominent charity founded by the loved ones of a teenager who died after encountering dangerous platform posts suggests that a blanket age ban could fail to improve online safety and could create a "dangerous transition" of exposure when users reach the legal age.

"This ban is a response to the inability of the tech sector to build tools that are secure and age appropriate for minors," commented a influential online safety campaigner.

America: A State-by-State Approach

In the United States, regulation is largely unfolding at the regional level due to federal inaction.

• The state of Utah mandates guardian permission for those under 18 to use social media and controls late-night use.
• Florida has passed a law barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is entangled in legal challenges.
• Virginia has approved a rule capping teenagers to 60 minutes of social media time per day, with extra access needing a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also introduced measures mandating parental consent for minors to set up social media profiles.

Even with widespread concern and suggestions from certain figures to copy Australia's lead, a US-wide ban is right now seen as unlikely.

International Perspectives

Apart from Europe and the US, other countries are similarly exploring options.

• Malaysia intends to ban social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• Brazil has raised the required age for one major platform to 16.

But, world bodies adopt a more nuanced position. A major UN agency has cautioned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "might backfire". The agency highlights that social networks can be a "lifeline" for marginalized children and that government action should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to prioritize safety.

Even as this global debate unfolds, the steps of the Australian government and several other countries indicate that governments globally are less and less prepared to wait for tech companies to self-regulate.