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Australia's bold action to restrict social media access for those under 16 is sending ripples around the globe. Politicians, campaigners, and parents are watching closely to see if this tactic will become a template for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Momentum

Across Europe, a growing group of countries are exploring similar restrictions.

• Denmark has announced a prohibition on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister stating that phones and networks are "stealing our children's innocence". A law may be formalized next year.
• Norway is preparing to implement a age restriction of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard children from the "manipulative force of the recommendation systems".
• The Irish government is working on a online verification tool to authenticate the identity and age of social media account holders. Authorities have stated that an Australian-model ban is "a potential tools under consideration".
• In Spain, the prime minister has urged the legislature to approve a bill raising the legal age for using social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a legislative committee has endorsed a similar step, including an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The government in the Netherlands has urged families to prevent their kids from social media before 15.

For the broader EU, the European parliament has passed a symbolic motion supporting a ban for under-16s except if a parent decides otherwise is granted. Even though it warns of the "addictive" design of these platforms, the step does not enact enforceable legislation.

"A strong age restriction is a good starting point," stated a leading MEP behind the initiative.

Britain: A Cautious Eye

In the UK, the government has kept open a possible ban, stating that "no measure is discarded" but maintaining any decision must be "grounded in robust evidence".

Previously, support gathered behind a legislative effort to introduce limits on social media use by minors, but it was in the end weakened. Nonetheless, the administration committed to conduct more studies the topic.

Charities have voiced apprehensions. An organization set up by the relatives of a young person who took her own life after viewing dangerous online content suggests that a simple age ban might not improve online safety and could create a "dangerous transition" of risk when teens reach the legal age.

"Australia's ban is a response to the failure of the social media companies to create products and services that are appropriate and fit for minors," said a influential child protection advocate.

The US: A State-by-State Picture

Stateside, action is largely occurring at the regional government level against a backdrop of federal gridlock.

• The state of Utah requires parental consent for under-18s to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• Florida has enacted a bill barring under-14s from joining social media, though it is entangled in court battles.
• Virginia has approved a law limiting under-16s to one hour of social media access per day, with extra access requiring a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly passed measures demanding adult authorization for teenagers to open social media accounts.

Even with bipartisan support and proposals from various individuals to follow this lead, a US-wide ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.

International Perspectives

Apart from the West, further countries are also considering moves.

• Malaysia intends to ban social media for teenagers beginning next year.
• Brazil has lifted the access age for one major platform to 16.

But, global agencies adopt a more cautious position. Unicef has cautioned that age-based restrictions have downsides and "might prove counterproductive". The agency highlights that the internet can be a "vital connection" for isolated young people and that bans should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to invest in child safeguards.

As this worldwide discussion continues, the policies of this nation and others demonstrate that governments internationally are increasingly content to wait for platforms to act voluntarily.