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Australia's bold move to ban social media access for young people below 16 is creating waves around the globe. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and families are monitoring closely to see if this tactic will become a template for other nations.

The European Trend

Across Europe, a increasing group of states are considering comparable bans.

• Denmark plans a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the leader arguing that mobile devices and apps are "taking away our kids' childhood". The policy could be passed in the coming year.
• The Norwegian government is planning to implement a access barrier of 15, highlighting the need to shield young people from the "power of the AI".
• Ireland is introducing a digital ID system to confirm the identity and age of social media users. Officials have suggested that an Australian-model ban could be "an tools under consideration".
• In Spain, the president has called on the legislature to pass a bill lifting the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has floated the idea of a ban for those under fifteen, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a similar move, including an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The government in The Netherlands has urged parents to block their children from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the EU parliament has adopted a symbolic resolution demanding a ban for under-16s without a parent decides otherwise is granted. Even though it warns of the "addictive" quality of these platforms, the move does not enact binding law.

"A clear age restriction is a solid starting point," said one MEP supporting the measure.

Britain: A Watchful Stance

In the UK, the government has remained open to a future ban, stating that "no measure is off the table" but stressing any action must be "supported by conclusive evidence".

Last year, support gathered behind a legislative effort to introduce limits on social media use by minors, but it was in the end watered down. Instead, the administration pledged to further research the topic.

Advocacy groups have expressed apprehensions. A prominent charity established by the loved ones of a girl who died after being exposed to disturbing social media material suggests that a strict age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could create a "dangerous transition" of exposure when users become eligible.

"This ban is a response to the refusal of the tech sector to build tools that are appropriate and fit for young users," commented a leading child protection advocate.

The US: A Fragmented Picture

Across America, regulation is mostly happening at the regional level against a backdrop of national inaction.

• The state of Utah requires parental consent for under-18s to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• Florida has signed a bill banning those below 14 from accessing social media, though it is entangled in legal challenges.
• The state of Virginia has approved a regulation limiting teenagers to 60 minutes of social media use per day, with additional access dependent on a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed measures requiring parental consent for minors to set up social media presences.

Despite cross-party agreement and calls from certain figures to mimic the Australian lead, a US-wide ban is right now seen as unlikely.

Worldwide Perspectives

Apart from these regions, additional countries are also exploring options.

• Malaysia plans to prohibit social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
• Brazil has raised the required age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, global organizations adopt a more nuanced stance. A major UN agency has warned that blanket prohibitions carry risks and "might have unintended consequences". The agency highlights that social networks can be a "critical link" for marginalized children and that bans should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to improve safety.

While this international debate evolves, the actions of this nation and several other countries indicate that states around the world are increasingly content to wait for tech companies to act voluntarily.