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Australia's decisive policy to prohibit social networking access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves worldwide. Lawmakers, campaigners, and families are watching closely to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for other nations.

The European Trend

Throughout Europe, a rising chorus of nations are moving toward parallel measures.

• Denmark has announced a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the leader declaring that mobile devices and platforms are "robbing our kids' innocence". Legislation could be enacted soon.
• Norway is preparing to implement a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to protect children from the "power of the algorithms".
• Ireland is developing a digital ID system to confirm the age and identity of social media users. Authorities have suggested that an Australian-model ban could be "one of the tools on the table".
• In Spain, the leader has urged lawmakers to pass a proposal increasing the legal age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has threatened a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has recommended a similar step, including an overnight "screen time restriction" for older teenagers.
• The authorities in the Netherlands has urged guardians to block their children from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the EU parliament has approved a advisory statement calling for a ban for minors without guardian approval is given. Even though it highlights of the "habit-forming" nature of these platforms, the move does not establish mandatory rules.

"An effective age restriction is a useful starting point," said the MEP supporting the resolution.

Britain: A Cautious Approach

In the UK, the administration has kept open a future ban, stating that "no option is being dismissed" but stressing any decision must be "grounded in robust data".

Earlier, momentum built behind a bill to introduce controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was eventually modified. Nonetheless, the administration vowed to conduct more studies the topic.

Charities have expressed apprehensions. A prominent charity founded by the loved ones of a girl who died after viewing dangerous platform posts argues that a strict age ban might not improve online safety and could create a "sudden drop-off" of harm when teens reach the legal age.

"This ban is a reaction to the inability of the Silicon Valley to build tools that are safe and age appropriate for children," commented a prominent online safety campaigner.

The United States: A Fragmented Approach

Stateside, legislation is largely unfolding at the local level amid national gridlock.

• Utah requires guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• The state of Florida has enacted a measure prohibiting those below 14 from joining social media, though it faces legal challenges.
• Virginia has approved a law limiting teenagers to a single hour of social media time per day, with additional time needing adult consent.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly passed measures mandating adult authorization for minors to create social media accounts.

Despite widespread concern and calls from various politicians to follow this path, a US-wide ban is currently seen as unlikely.

International Views

Apart from Europe and the US, additional nations are similarly taking action.

• Malaysia intends to ban social media for under-16s starting from next year.
• Brazil has lifted the required age for one major platform to 16.

But, global bodies adopt a more cautious tone. A major UN agency has cautioned that age-based restrictions have downsides and "could have unintended consequences". The agency notes that online platforms can be a "critical link" for isolated youth and that regulation should not be a "substitute" for tech companies to prioritize user protection.

Even as this global discussion unfolds, the actions of this nation and its followers indicate that states around the world are increasingly prepared to delay for the industry to act voluntarily.