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Australia's decisive action to restrict social media access for young people below 16 is sparking debate around the globe. Officials, child protection groups, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

European Trend

Across Europe, a rising chorus of nations are moving toward comparable bans.

• Denmark has announced a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the PM stating that mobile devices and apps are "taking away our youngsters' childhood". Legislation may be passed in the coming year.
• Norway is set to introduce a age restriction of 15, citing the need to protect young people from the "manipulative force of the AI".
• Ireland is developing a online verification tool to authenticate the user details of social media users. The media minister have indicated that an Australian-model ban is "one of the tools on the table".
• In Spain, the prime minister has urged lawmakers to approve a bill lifting the access age for using social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a parliamentary commission has recommended a comparable action, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The authorities in The Dutch government has advised guardians to block their kids from social media until 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has adopted a symbolic statement calling for a ban for teenagers under 16 unless a parent decides otherwise is granted. Although it highlights of the "habit-forming" nature of these services, the resolution does not enact enforceable legislation.

"A strong age limit is a useful foundation," stated one parliamentarian supporting the resolution.

The UK: A Cautious Stance

In the UK, the administration has not ruled out a potential ban, arguing that "no option is off the table" but insisting any action must be "based on robust data".

Earlier, interest built behind a proposal to introduce controls on social media use by minors, but it was in the end watered down. Instead, the government vowed to investigate the issue.

Charities have expressed warnings. An organization set up by the relatives of a girl who died after encountering disturbing platform posts suggests that a blanket age ban might not make platforms safer and could create a "cliff edge" of harm when users turn 16.

"The Australian ban is a reaction to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to build products and services that are safe and age appropriate for minors," commented a leading child protection advocate.

The US: A Fragmented Approach

Across America, regulation is mostly happening at the state level due to federal stalemate.

• Utah demands parental consent for under-18s to use social media and restricts overnight use.
• Florida has signed a bill banning under-14s from accessing social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• Virginia has enacted a law capping under-16s to a single hour of social media use per day, with extra use needing adult consent.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise introduced measures mandating guardian approval for teenagers to open social media presences.

Even with cross-party agreement and calls from certain individuals to copy Australia's example, a nationwide ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.

International Outlook

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

• The Malaysian government plans to restrict social media for teenagers effective next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has raised the access age for one major platform to 16.

But, global organizations adopt a more cautious stance. Unicef has cautioned that social media bans pose dangers and "might have unintended consequences". The body notes that online platforms can be a "critical link" for vulnerable children and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for platform operators to improve child safeguards.

While this worldwide debate evolves, the actions of this nation and several other countries demonstrate that policymakers around the world are less and less content to delay for platforms to act voluntarily.