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The Australian decisive policy to restrict social media access for those under 16 is sending ripples worldwide. Politicians, campaigners, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this strategy will set a precedent for the rest of the world.

The European Trend

Across Europe, a rising number of states are exploring comparable bans.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the leader arguing that smartphones and platforms are "robbing our youngsters' innocence". A law could be passed soon.
• The Norwegian government is set to introduce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to protect young people from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• Ireland is working on a online verification tool to verify the age and identity of social media users. The media minister have indicated that an Australia-style ban remains "one of the tools under consideration".
• In Spain, the prime minister has asked the legislature to enact a bill raising the access age for using social media to 16.
• In The French government, the leader has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a government panel has recommended a similar step, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for adolescents.
• The administration in the Netherlands has advised guardians to prevent their children from social media before 15.

At the EU level, the European parliament has approved a symbolic statement supporting a ban for minors unless guardian approval is granted. While it warns of the "compulsive" quality of these services, the resolution does not enact binding law.

"An effective age restriction is a good starting point," said a leading MEP behind the measure.

The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Approach

Across Britain, the leadership has kept open a future ban, stating that "nothing is being dismissed" but maintaining any action must be "supported by strong research".

Last year, support gathered behind a proposal to impose controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end watered down. Instead, the government pledged to conduct more studies the issue.

Advocacy groups have expressed warnings. One foundation set up by the family of a teenager who took her own life after encountering dangerous online content argues that a simple age ban might not protect children and could result in a "cliff edge" of harm when young people reach the legal age.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the inability of the social media companies to create platforms and apps that are secure and age appropriate for young users," said a leading peer.

The US: A State-by-State Approach

In the United States, regulation is primarily unfolding at the regional government level amid national stalemate.

• Utah mandates guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and restricts late-night use.
• Florida has passed a measure barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to court battles.
• Virginia has enacted a regulation capping teenagers to one hour of social media use per day, with extra access dependent on a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise passed bills demanding adult authorization for teenagers to open social media profiles.

Despite bipartisan support and calls from some figures to copy this path, a US-wide ban is presently seen as unlikely.

Worldwide Views

Beyond these regions, other countries are similarly exploring options.

• Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for under-16s effective next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has raised the required age for one major platform to 16.

However, global agencies take a more nuanced tone. A major UN agency has advised that age-based restrictions carry risks and "could prove counterproductive". The organization points out that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for marginalized children and that bans should not be a "excuse" for platform operators to improve safety.

As this worldwide discussion unfolds, the steps of this nation and others indicate that policymakers around the world are increasingly willing to stand by for platforms to make changes on their own.