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The Australian bold policy to restrict social media access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves around the globe. Politicians, safety advocates, and parents are monitoring intently to see if this strategy will become a template for other nations.

European Trend

Throughout Europe, a growing group of states are exploring similar restrictions.

• The Danish government has announced a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister declaring that phones and apps are "stealing our children's youth". The policy may be passed soon.
• Norway is planning to implement a access barrier of 15, highlighting the need to shield children from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is introducing a online verification tool to verify the identity and age of social media participants. Authorities have stated that an similar ban remains "an tools in reserve".
• In The Spanish government, the president has urged lawmakers to approve a bill increasing the minimum age for joining social media to 16.
• In The French government, the leader has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a parliamentary commission has recommended a comparable step, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in the Netherlands has recommended parents to prevent their kids from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has passed a advisory statement supporting a ban for under-16s except if guardian approval is provided. Although it cautions of the "habit-forming" nature of these services, the resolution does not enact enforceable legislation.

"A clear age restriction is a solid foundation," said the MEP supporting the initiative.

The UK: A Cautious Eye

Across Britain, the leadership has not ruled out a future ban, emphasizing that "nothing is being dismissed" but insisting any policy must be "based on strong data".

Earlier, support built behind a bill to impose restrictions on social media use by teenagers, but it was ultimately modified. Nonetheless, the government vowed to investigate the matter.

Campaign organizations have voiced apprehensions. One foundation founded by the loved ones of a young person who died after encountering dangerous platform posts contends that a blanket age ban might not make platforms safer and could result in a "dangerous transition" of harm when teens become eligible.

"The Australian ban is a response to the failure of the Silicon Valley to design tools that are safe and age appropriate for children," said a influential child protection advocate.

The United States: A State-by-State Landscape

Across America, regulation is mostly happening at the state government level due to national gridlock.

• The state of Utah mandates adult approval for those under 18 to use social media and controls overnight use.
• Florida has enacted a law banning under-14s from joining social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• The state of Virginia has enacted a law capping teenagers to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with any further access needing adult consent.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also introduced bills demanding parental consent for teenagers to open social media profiles.

Despite bipartisan support and suggestions from some politicians to copy Australia's example, a US-wide ban is right now seen as unlikely.

International Perspectives

Outside of Europe and the US, other states are likewise taking action.

• Malaysia plans 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 agencies adopt a more cautious tone. The UN children's agency has cautioned that blanket prohibitions pose dangers and "may even prove counterproductive". The organization points out that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for marginalized youth and that government action should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to invest in user protection.

As this global debate evolves, the steps of the Australian government and others show that governments around the world are less and less content to delay for tech companies to make changes on their own.