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Australia's bold move to prohibit social media access for those under 16 is creating waves worldwide. Lawmakers, child protection groups, and parents are watching with great interest to see if this strategy will inspire imitation for other nations.

The European Movement

In Europe, a rising chorus of countries are moving toward parallel restrictions.

• Denmark has stated a prohibition on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister stating that phones and networks are "taking away our children's youth". Legislation may be enacted in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to implement a minimum age limit of 15, citing the need to shield children from the "influence of the AI".
• Ireland is working on a online verification tool to verify the age and identity of social media participants. Officials have stated that an similar ban remains "a potential options under consideration".
• In The Spanish government, the leader has called on the legislature to approve a proposal increasing the legal age for using social media to 16.
• In France, the president has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a comparable step, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for adolescents.
• The administration in The Netherlands has urged guardians to block their kids from social media until 15.

At the EU level, the European parliament has adopted a symbolic resolution calling for a ban for under-16s except if guardian approval is granted. Although it highlights of the "habit-forming" design of these platforms, the resolution does not establish mandatory rules.

"A strong age limit is a solid first step," stated one parliamentarian supporting the resolution.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Approach

For the United Kingdom, the administration has not ruled out a potential ban, arguing that "no measure is discarded" but stressing any action must be "grounded in conclusive research".

Earlier, support built behind a bill to enact limits on social media use by minors, but it was eventually weakened. However, the government vowed to investigate the issue.

Campaign organizations have voiced warnings. A prominent charity founded by the relatives of a teenager who took her own life after being exposed to harmful online content contends that a strict age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could result in 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 design products and services that are safe and age appropriate for young users," stated a prominent peer.

The US: A Decentralized Picture

In the United States, legislation is largely occurring at the local level amid country-wide stalemate.

• Utah demands parental consent for those under 18 to use social media and limits nighttime use.
• Florida has passed a bill barring those below 14 from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• The state of Virginia has approved a rule limiting teenagers to 60 minutes of social media use per day, with additional use needing a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly enacted bills requiring guardian approval for under-16s to create social media accounts.

Even with cross-party agreement and proposals from various figures to copy Australia's path, a US-wide ban is right now seen as unlikely.

Global Outlook

Beyond these regions, additional nations are similarly taking action.

• Malaysia intends to restrict social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• Brazil has increased the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.

Yet, global organizations adopt a more nuanced tone. A major UN agency has cautioned that age-based restrictions pose dangers and "might prove counterproductive". The agency highlights that the internet can be a "vital connection" for vulnerable children and that government action should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to invest in child safeguards.

Even as this global discussion evolves, the steps of Australia and others indicate that governments around the world are increasingly willing to delay for tech companies to make changes on their own.