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The Australian controversial action to ban social platforms access for young people below 16 is creating waves internationally. Officials, safety advocates, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this strategy will set a precedent for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Momentum

Across Europe, a rising number of nations are exploring similar restrictions.

• The Danish government has stated a restriction on social media for youth below 15, with the prime minister arguing that phones and networks are "stealing our youngsters' innocence". Legislation could be enacted in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to introduce a age restriction of 15, citing the need to shield young people from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is introducing a online verification tool to verify the age and identity of social media participants. The media minister have suggested that an Australia-style ban is "a potential tools in reserve".
• In Spain, the president has urged the legislature to pass a proposal lifting the minimum age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a legislative committee has endorsed a comparable action, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for older teenagers.
• The government in The Dutch government has urged families to restrict their youngsters from social media until 15.

Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has approved a non-binding resolution calling for a ban for under-16s unless guardian approval is provided. While it cautions of the "habit-forming" quality of these platforms, the move does not enact mandatory rules.

"A clear age restriction is a useful foundation," stated one parliamentarian supporting the initiative.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Eye

In the UK, the leadership has kept open a potential ban, stating that "no option is off the table" but stressing any action must be "supported by conclusive research".

Last year, support gathered behind a bill to impose controls on social media use by teenagers, but it was in the end modified. However, the government committed to further research the issue.

Advocacy groups have voiced concerns. An organization set up by the relatives of a girl who was lost after encountering dangerous online content argues that a strict age ban might not protect children and could create a "dangerous transition" of risk when teens become eligible.

"The Australian ban is a answer to the inability of the tech sector to build platforms and apps that are safe and fit for minors," said a leading child protection advocate.

The US: A Decentralized Landscape

Stateside, regulation is mostly unfolding at the regional level due to federal gridlock.

• The state of Utah demands adult approval for under-18s to use social media and limits nighttime use.
• Florida has passed a law banning children under fourteen from creating accounts on social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• The state of Virginia has enacted a regulation limiting teenagers to 60 minutes of social media time per day, with any further time dependent on a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed measures requiring parental consent for under-16s to open social media presences.

Despite widespread concern and calls from various politicians to mimic this path, a federal ban is currently seen as a distant prospect.

Global Outlook

Beyond Europe and the US, further countries are also taking action.

• The Malaysian government plans to ban social media for those under sixteen starting from next year.
• Brazil has increased the required age for one major platform to 16.

Yet, world organizations adopt a more cautious tone. The UN children's agency has cautioned that age-based restrictions pose dangers and "may even backfire". The agency highlights that social networks can be a "lifeline" for marginalized children and that government action should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to invest in child safeguards.

As this worldwide conversation evolves, the policies of the Australian government and its followers indicate that policymakers internationally are less and less prepared to stand by for platforms to make changes on their own.