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Australia's bold policy to restrict social platforms access for those under 16 is sending ripples around the globe. Officials, child protection groups, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this approach will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

The European Trend

Across Europe, a growing group of nations are moving toward parallel measures.

• Denmark has announced a prohibition on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister arguing that mobile devices and apps are "taking away our youngsters' innocence". The policy is expected to be formalized in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to introduce a access barrier of 15, highlighting the need to protect young people from the "manipulative force of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is introducing a online verification tool to confirm the identity and age of social media participants. The media minister have stated that an similar ban remains "a potential tools on the table".
• In The Spanish government, the president has asked the legislature to pass a bill lifting the minimum age for using social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has proposed a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has suggested a similar step, including an overnight "screen time restriction" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in The Dutch government has recommended guardians to restrict their youngsters from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the EU parliament has passed a advisory motion demanding a ban for under-16s unless parental consent is provided. While it cautions of the "addictive" design of these platforms, the move does not enact mandatory rules.

"A clear age limit is a good foundation," stated the parliamentarian behind the measure.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Approach

In the UK, the leadership has remained open to a potential ban, arguing that "nothing is off the table" but insisting any decision must be "supported by robust evidence".

Last year, interest gathered behind a bill to impose restrictions on social media use by teenagers, but it was eventually weakened. Instead, the administration pledged to further research the topic.

Advocacy groups have expressed concerns. A prominent charity founded by the relatives of a girl who took her own life after viewing dangerous online content argues that a simple age ban could fail to protect children and could create a "dangerous transition" of exposure when users reach the legal age.

"Australia's ban is a reaction to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to build products and services that are appropriate and suitable for children," said a leading online safety campaigner.

America: A Decentralized Approach

Stateside, action is primarily occurring at the regional level amid federal stalemate.

• Utah requires guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and limits nighttime use.
• The state of Florida has passed a measure prohibiting under-14s from joining social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• The state of Virginia has passed a regulation restricting under-16s to a single hour of social media time per day, with any further access dependent on a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed measures requiring parental consent for minors to create social media profiles.

Even with widespread concern and calls from certain figures to copy this example, a US-wide ban is right now seen as unlikely.

International Views

Apart from the West, additional states are also considering moves.

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

Yet, international agencies take a more measured position. A major UN agency has warned that age-based restrictions have downsides and "could backfire". The agency points out that social networks can be a "vital connection" for isolated young people and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for tech companies to improve child safeguards.

As this international discussion continues, the actions of this nation and others show that policymakers internationally are no longer prepared to delay for platforms to self-regulate.