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Australia's decisive policy to ban social platforms access for individuals under sixteen is sending ripples around the globe. Officials, child protection groups, and parents are observing intently to see if this tactic will set a precedent for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Trend

Throughout Europe, a rising chorus of states are exploring comparable restrictions.

• The Danish government has announced a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the prime minister stating that mobile devices and networks are "taking away our kids' youth". Legislation could be formalized soon.
• The Norwegian government is preparing to implement a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to shield children from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• The Irish government is developing a digital wallet to verify the identity and age of social media account holders. Officials have suggested that an similar ban could be "one of the measures in reserve".
• In Spain, the leader has urged the legislature to approve a law raising the minimum age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has threatened a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has suggested a related action, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in the Netherlands has recommended parents to restrict their children from social media before 15.

At the EU level, the EU parliament has passed a symbolic statement supporting a ban for minors except if guardian approval is provided. Even though it highlights of the "habit-forming" design of these apps, the move does not establish enforceable legislation.

"A strong age barrier is a good starting point," stated the MEP supporting the resolution.

The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Approach

For the United Kingdom, the administration has remained open to a possible ban, emphasizing that "no option is being dismissed" but stressing any decision must be "supported by robust evidence".

Previously, momentum grew behind a bill to impose limits on social media use by minors, but it was eventually watered down. Nonetheless, the administration vowed to conduct more studies the issue.

Campaign organizations have expressed concerns. A prominent charity set up by the family of a teenager who took her own life after being exposed to harmful social media material suggests that a simple age ban may not protect children and could result in a "cliff edge" of exposure when young people turn 16.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the refusal of the social media companies to create platforms and apps that are secure and fit for children," said a prominent child protection advocate.

America: A Decentralized Approach

Stateside, regulation is largely occurring at the local government level due to national gridlock.

• Utah requires parental consent for under-18s to use social media and controls overnight use.
• Florida has signed a law prohibiting under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it faces legal challenges.
• Virginia has approved a regulation limiting minors to a single hour of social media access per day, with extra time dependent on adult consent.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise enacted bills mandating adult authorization for minors to open social media presences.

Despite widespread concern and proposals from certain politicians to copy this path, a nationwide ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.

Worldwide Outlook

Apart from these regions, further nations are similarly taking action.

• Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for teenagers beginning next year.
• Brazil has increased the access age for one major platform to 16.

But, world organizations take a more measured tone. A major UN agency has cautioned that social media bans have downsides and "may even prove counterproductive". The body points out that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for marginalized young people and that bans should not be a "replacement" for tech companies to prioritize user protection.

Even as this worldwide discussion continues, the actions of the Australian government and several other countries demonstrate that governments globally are increasingly willing to wait for platforms to make changes on their own.