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Australia's decisive policy to prohibit social networking access for young people below 16 is sending ripples around the globe. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and guardians are observing with great interest to see if this approach will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

The European Trend

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

• Denmark has stated a ban on social media for under-15s, with the prime minister arguing that mobile devices and platforms are "stealing our youngsters' youth". A law is expected to be passed next year.
• Norway is preparing to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to protect the young from the "power of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is working on a online verification tool to verify the age and identity of social media participants. Authorities have suggested that an similar ban is "an measures on the table".
• In Spain, the prime minister has asked lawmakers to pass a bill lifting the minimum age for joining social media to 16.
• In The French government, the leader has proposed a ban for children below 15, and a government panel has endorsed a comparable step, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in the Netherlands has recommended guardians to block their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has adopted a non-binding resolution supporting a ban for minors without a parent decides otherwise is granted. Although it cautions of the "addictive" nature of these apps, the step does not create enforceable legislation.

"A strong age restriction is a useful foundation," stated one MEP driving the measure.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Eye

In the UK, the government has remained open to a future ban, emphasizing that "no option is discarded" but maintaining any decision must be "grounded in strong data".

Earlier, interest built behind a proposal to enact limits on social media use by teenagers, but it was eventually watered down. However, the administration vowed to investigate the topic.

Advocacy groups have raised warnings. An organization founded by the loved ones of a teenager who was lost after encountering dangerous social media material contends that a simple age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of harm when young people become eligible.

"Australia's ban is a reaction to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to build platforms and apps that are appropriate and age appropriate for children," commented a prominent peer.

The United States: A State-by-State Approach

Stateside, legislation is primarily unfolding at the local level due to national gridlock.

• The state of Utah demands adult approval for minors to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
• The state of Florida has signed a measure barring those below 14 from joining social media, though it faces legal challenges.
• Virginia has passed a regulation capping minors to 60 minutes of social media use per day, with any further access dependent on a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly enacted bills requiring guardian approval for under-16s to open social media presences.

Even with bipartisan support and calls from various figures to follow Australia's lead, a federal ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.

Worldwide Views

Outside of the West, additional countries are similarly taking action.

• Malaysia intends to restrict social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
• Brazil has increased the required age for Instagram to 16.

But, international bodies strike a more nuanced tone. A major UN agency has warned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "may even prove counterproductive". The agency points out that online platforms can be a "vital connection" for isolated children and that bans should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to improve child safeguards.

Even as this global discussion unfolds, the policies of Australia and its followers indicate that states internationally are no longer prepared to delay for platforms to self-regulate.