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Australia's decisive action to prohibit social media access for those under 16 is sparking debate around the globe. Officials, campaigners, and guardians are monitoring intently to see if this strategy will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

European Movement

Across Europe, a growing number of countries are considering parallel bans.

• Denmark has announced a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the prime minister stating that smartphones and apps are "stealing our children's innocence". The policy may be enacted in the coming year.
• Norway is planning to implement a minimum age limit of 15, citing the need to shield the young from the "influence of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is working on a online verification tool to authenticate the identity and age of social media users. The media minister have stated that an Australian-model ban remains "an options on the table".
• In The Spanish government, the president has asked lawmakers to pass a law lifting the legal age for accessing social media to 16.
• In The French government, the leader has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a legislative committee has suggested a related action, including an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in the Netherlands has urged parents to restrict their children from social media until 15.

Across the European Union, the EU parliament has approved a symbolic statement demanding a ban for under-16s without guardian approval is provided. Although it warns of the "compulsive" design of these apps, the move does not enact binding law.

"An effective age barrier is a useful starting point," said one parliamentarian behind the initiative.

The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Eye

For the United Kingdom, the government has kept open a possible ban, emphasizing that "no option is being dismissed" but stressing any action must be "based on conclusive data".

Previously, momentum grew behind a bill to enact restrictions on social media use by under-16s, but it was ultimately watered down. Instead, the administration pledged to investigate the matter.

Campaign organizations have raised warnings. One foundation founded by the loved ones of a young person who took her own life after viewing harmful platform posts argues that a strict age ban could fail to protect children and could lead to a "cliff edge" of exposure when users turn 16.

"The Australian ban is a answer to the refusal of the social media companies to design platforms and apps that are secure and suitable for minors," said a prominent online safety campaigner.

The United States: A Decentralized Picture

In the United States, legislation is largely happening at the local government level against a backdrop of country-wide gridlock.

• Utah requires parental consent for under-18s to use social media and restricts late-night use.
• Florida has signed a bill prohibiting children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it is subject to court battles.
• The state of Virginia has enacted a regulation capping under-16s to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with any further access dependent on parental permission.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed laws requiring guardian approval for teenagers to create social media profiles.

Despite widespread concern and suggestions from some politicians to follow the Australian path, a nationwide ban is currently seen as improbable.

Global Views

Apart from Europe and the US, additional nations are likewise exploring options.

• The Malaysian government intends to restrict social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• Brazil has increased the required age for one major platform to 16.

But, international organizations adopt a more measured position. A major UN agency has warned that age-based restrictions pose dangers and "may even have unintended consequences". The organization highlights that social networks can be a "lifeline" for isolated children and that bans should not be a "replacement" for social media firms to invest in safety.

Even as this international conversation evolves, the actions of this nation and several other countries show that policymakers globally are no longer willing to delay for the industry to make changes on their own.