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Australia's decisive action to restrict social networking access for individuals under sixteen is sending ripples worldwide. Officials, child protection groups, and guardians are monitoring intently to see if this strategy will become a template for other nations.

The European Trend

Across Europe, a growing chorus of nations are exploring similar bans.

• Denmark has stated a restriction on social media for youth below 15, with the PM arguing that phones and platforms are "stealing our children's childhood". Legislation could be enacted next year.
• Norway is preparing to introduce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to protect the young from the "influence of the algorithms".
• Ireland is introducing a digital wallet to authenticate the identity and age of social media users. Officials have stated that an similar ban could be "one of the tools in reserve".
• In Spain, the president has called on lawmakers to pass a proposal raising the legal age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the president has proposed a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has recommended a comparable step, including an overnight "digital curfew" for older teenagers.
• The administration in The Netherlands has urged families to restrict their children from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the EU parliament has adopted a non-binding statement demanding a ban for under-16s unless parental consent is provided. Although it cautions of the "addictive" design of these apps, the resolution does not establish binding law.

"An effective age restriction is a good first step," said the MEP behind the measure.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Eye

Across Britain, the leadership has remained open to a potential ban, stating that "nothing is discarded" but maintaining any policy must be "based on strong research".

Earlier, support built behind a legislative effort to enact controls on social media use by minors, but it was eventually weakened. Instead, the government vowed to further research the matter.

Advocacy groups have raised apprehensions. One foundation set up by the family of a girl who took her own life after encountering harmful platform posts suggests that a strict age ban might not protect children and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of risk when users reach the legal age.

"This ban is a answer to the inability of the Silicon Valley to build tools that are appropriate and age appropriate for minors," commented a leading child protection advocate.

America: A State-by-State Approach

Across America, legislation is mostly occurring at the local level against a backdrop of national stalemate.

• Utah mandates adult approval for under-18s to use social media and limits overnight use.
• Florida has signed a bill banning those below 14 from joining social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• The state of Virginia has approved a law capping teenagers to 60 minutes of social media time per day, with extra use needing parental permission.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have also introduced measures mandating parental consent for under-16s to set up social media profiles.

Despite bipartisan support and proposals from various individuals to follow this lead, a US-wide ban is right now seen as unlikely.

Global Outlook

Beyond Europe and the US, further states are similarly taking action.

• Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for those under sixteen beginning next year.
• Brazil has lifted the required age for one major platform to 16.

But, global organizations strike a more nuanced stance. The UN children's agency has advised that blanket prohibitions pose dangers and "may even prove counterproductive". The organization highlights that online platforms can be a "vital connection" for vulnerable young people and that government action should not be a "replacement" for tech companies to invest in safety.

As this international conversation continues, the steps of this nation and others demonstrate that governments internationally are less and less prepared to delay for the industry to make changes on their own.