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Australia's controversial policy to restrict social media access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves internationally. Lawmakers, child protection groups, and guardians are watching with great interest to see if this approach will set a precedent for other nations.

The European Momentum

Across Europe, a increasing group of nations are exploring comparable restrictions.

• The Danish government has stated a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the PM declaring that mobile devices and platforms are "robbing our kids' youth". A law is expected to be formalized next year.
• The Norwegian government is set to implement a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to protect young people from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is developing a digital wallet to confirm the user details of social media participants. Officials have stated that an similar ban is "one of the measures on the table".
• In Spain, the leader has called on lawmakers to enact a bill raising the legal age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has proposed a ban for children below 15, and a government panel has suggested a similar step, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The government in The Dutch government has urged parents to block their children from social media until 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has passed a symbolic resolution calling for a ban for minors without parental consent is granted. Even though it warns of the "compulsive" quality of these apps, the step does not create mandatory rules.

"An effective age limit is a good starting point," stated a leading parliamentarian behind the initiative.

Britain: A Watchful Stance

In the UK, the government has not ruled out a potential ban, stating that "no measure is off the table" but maintaining any action must be "based on conclusive research".

Previously, momentum grew behind a proposal to impose limits on social media use by teenagers, but it was ultimately weakened. However, the government vowed to conduct more studies the issue.

Advocacy groups have raised apprehensions. One foundation founded by the loved ones of a girl who died after being exposed to dangerous platform posts suggests that a strict age ban might not protect children and could result in a "cliff edge" of exposure when teens turn 16.

"The Australian ban is a answer to the failure of the Silicon Valley to design tools that are appropriate and age appropriate for children," said a prominent child protection advocate.

America: A Decentralized Picture

Across America, action is primarily unfolding at the regional level amid national stalemate.

• The state of Utah demands adult approval for those under 18 to use social media and controls overnight use.
• The state of Florida has passed a law banning children under fourteen from joining social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has approved a regulation capping minors to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with any further use requiring parental permission.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have also enacted bills mandating guardian approval for under-16s to set up social media profiles.

Even with widespread concern and proposals from some politicians to copy this example, a US-wide ban is presently seen as unlikely.

Global Outlook

Beyond these regions, additional countries are likewise taking action.

• The Malaysian government intends to ban social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• Brazil has increased the minimum age for one major platform to 16.

But, world bodies take a more nuanced position. The UN children's agency has warned that blanket prohibitions carry risks and "could have unintended consequences". The agency points out that the internet can be a "critical link" for marginalized young people and that bans should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to invest in user protection.

Even as this international debate continues, the policies of the Australian government and its followers demonstrate that states around the world are less and less prepared to wait for platforms to make changes on their own.