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The Australian controversial policy to ban social platforms access for young people below 16 is creating waves internationally. Officials, child protection groups, and parents are watching closely to see if this strategy will become a template for the rest of the world.

European Movement

Across Europe, a rising group of nations are considering parallel restrictions.

• The Danish government has announced a prohibition on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister arguing that phones and apps are "robbing our youngsters' youth". The policy is expected to be formalized in the coming year.
• Norway is set to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to safeguard children from the "influence of the recommendation systems".
• The Irish government is working on a online verification tool to verify the user details of social media users. Officials have indicated that an Australia-style ban could be "a potential measures in reserve".
• In The Spanish government, the president has called on parliament to enact a law increasing the legal age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the president has threatened a ban for those under fifteen, and a government panel has recommended a comparable move, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in the Netherlands has advised families to prevent their children from social media before 15.

Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has approved a symbolic resolution demanding a ban for teenagers under 16 unless a parent decides otherwise is granted. While it warns of the "compulsive" quality of these services, the step does not create mandatory rules.

"A clear age barrier is a good first step," commented a leading MEP supporting the initiative.

Britain: A Watchful Eye

Across Britain, the leadership has not ruled out a future ban, stating that "no measure is discarded" but maintaining any decision must be "based on conclusive research".

Previously, momentum gathered behind a legislative effort to introduce restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was eventually modified. Nonetheless, the administration pledged to investigate the issue.

Campaign organizations have raised apprehensions. A prominent charity founded by the family of a young person who died after encountering dangerous online content argues that a blanket age ban might not improve online safety and could result in a "dangerous transition" of harm when young people become eligible.

"This ban is a reaction to the refusal of the tech sector to create products and services that are secure and age appropriate for children," stated a leading child protection advocate.

The United States: A Decentralized Picture

Across America, action is primarily unfolding at the regional level against a backdrop of national inaction.

• The state of Utah demands adult approval for minors to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• Florida has signed a bill barring those below 14 from accessing social media, though it is entangled in legal challenges.
• Virginia has passed a rule capping under-16s to a single hour of social media time per day, with extra use needing adult consent.
• The state of Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly enacted laws demanding guardian approval for under-16s to create social media accounts.

Even with cross-party agreement and suggestions from certain politicians to mimic this example, a US-wide ban is presently seen as a distant prospect.

Global Views

Apart from Europe and the US, other states are similarly taking action.

• The Malaysian government intends to restrict social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has lifted the required age for one major platform to 16.

However, international organizations adopt a more measured position. A major UN agency has warned that social media bans carry risks and "could have unintended consequences". The organization points out that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for isolated children and that government action should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to improve user protection.

As this global discussion evolves, the policies of the Australian government and its followers indicate that states around the world are increasingly willing to wait for platforms to make changes on their own.