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Australia's decisive move to prohibit social platforms access for those under 16 is sending ripples internationally. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this strategy will inspire imitation for other nations.

European Movement

In Europe, a rising group of countries are moving toward comparable measures.

• The Danish government plans a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the leader arguing that phones and apps are "taking away our children's childhood". The policy is expected to be enacted soon.
• Norway is set to enforce a age restriction of 15, highlighting the need to safeguard children from the "influence of the AI".
• Ireland is developing a online verification tool to verify the user details of social media participants. Officials have suggested that an Australia-style ban remains "one of the options in reserve".
• In Spain, the prime minister has asked lawmakers to pass a proposal lifting the access age for using social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has floated the idea of a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has suggested a comparable step, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for older teenagers.
• The government in The Netherlands has recommended families to block their youngsters from social media before 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has passed a symbolic motion calling for a ban for teenagers under 16 except if parental consent is given. While it cautions of the "addictive" nature of these platforms, the step does not establish binding law.

"A clear age limit is a good starting point," commented a leading parliamentarian supporting the initiative.

The United Kingdom: A Cautious Approach

For the United Kingdom, the administration has remained open to a future ban, emphasizing that "nothing is discarded" but maintaining any action must be "grounded in strong evidence".

Previously, support built behind a bill to enact restrictions on social media use by teenagers, but it was ultimately weakened. Instead, the administration pledged to further research the topic.

Advocacy groups have voiced concerns. One foundation founded by the relatives of a teenager who died after viewing dangerous platform posts suggests that a strict age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could result in a "sudden drop-off" of exposure when young people turn 16.

"The Australian ban is a reaction to the inability of the Silicon Valley to create products and services that are safe and age appropriate for young users," stated a leading peer.

The US: A Decentralized Approach

Stateside, regulation is mostly occurring at the state level amid national gridlock.

• The state of Utah mandates guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
• The state of Florida has passed a measure banning those below 14 from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to court battles.
• The state of Virginia has approved a rule limiting under-16s to a single hour of social media time per day, with any further use dependent on a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly introduced measures demanding adult authorization for minors to create social media profiles.

Even with bipartisan support and suggestions from certain figures to copy this example, a nationwide ban is currently seen as unlikely.

Worldwide Views

Apart from the West, other nations are likewise considering moves.

• The Malaysian government plans to prohibit social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has lifted the required age for Instagram to 16.

Yet, global agencies take a more cautious position. A major UN agency has cautioned that blanket prohibitions carry risks and "could backfire". The organization highlights that online platforms can be a "critical link" for isolated young people and that government action should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to prioritize child safeguards.

Even as this worldwide debate unfolds, the policies of the Australian government and its followers indicate that policymakers globally are increasingly content to delay for platforms to self-regulate.