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The Australian decisive action to ban social media access for young people below 16 is sparking debate around the globe. Lawmakers, campaigners, and families are watching intently to see if this approach will inspire imitation for other nations.

Across Europe Momentum

Across Europe, a growing chorus of nations are moving toward comparable measures.

• Denmark has announced a prohibition on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister declaring that phones and platforms are "robbing our children's childhood". The policy may be passed next year.
• Norway is planning to implement a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to safeguard young people from the "manipulative force of the recommendation systems".
• The Irish government is introducing a digital ID system to confirm the user details of social media participants. Officials have indicated that an Australian-model ban is "an options in reserve".
• In The Spanish government, the leader has asked the legislature to enact a law increasing the legal age for joining social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has proposed a ban for children below 15, and a parliamentary commission has suggested a similar move, alongside an overnight "digital curfew" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in The Dutch government has recommended families to restrict their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.

Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has adopted a non-binding resolution supporting a ban for minors unless guardian approval is given. Although it highlights of the "compulsive" nature of these platforms, the resolution does not create binding law.

"A clear age restriction is a good foundation," stated the parliamentarian behind the resolution.

Britain: A Cautious Approach

Across Britain, the leadership has not ruled out a possible ban, arguing that "no measure is off the table" but maintaining any action must be "grounded in conclusive research".

Last year, support grew behind a proposal to impose restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was eventually modified. Nonetheless, the administration committed to further research the matter.

Charities have raised apprehensions. A prominent charity established by the loved ones of a girl who took her own life after encountering dangerous online content suggests that a blanket age ban may not protect children and could create a "sudden drop-off" of risk when teens reach the legal age.

"This ban is a response to the inability of the social media companies to build platforms and apps that are appropriate and suitable for children," stated a influential child protection advocate.

The United States: A Fragmented Landscape

Across America, regulation is mostly unfolding at the local government level against a backdrop of federal stalemate.

• Utah requires parental consent for under-18s to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• The state of Florida has signed a bill banning under-14s from joining social media, though it is entangled in legal challenges.
• Virginia has passed a law limiting minors to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with any further access requiring parental permission.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly introduced measures demanding adult authorization for under-16s to set up social media accounts.

Even with cross-party agreement and calls from various individuals to follow Australia's path, a federal ban is currently seen as a distant prospect.

International Views

Outside of Europe and the US, other nations are likewise considering moves.

• Malaysia plans to ban social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
• Brazil has raised the required age for Instagram to 16.

However, global bodies take a more measured position. Unicef has advised that age-based restrictions pose dangers and "could prove counterproductive". The agency highlights that online platforms can be a "critical link" for marginalized young people and that regulation should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to invest in child safeguards.

As this international conversation unfolds, the steps of Australia and others indicate that states around the world are less and less prepared to delay for the industry to act voluntarily.