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The Australian bold policy to prohibit social media access for those under 16 is sparking debate around the globe. Officials, child protection groups, and families are observing with great interest to see if this tactic will set a precedent for other nations.

Across Europe Movement

Across Europe, a rising chorus of states are considering similar measures.

• 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 youth". A law may be enacted soon.
• The Norwegian government is planning to implement a age restriction of 15, citing the need to protect young people from the "influence of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is introducing a online verification tool to authenticate the user details of social media participants. Officials have suggested that an Australia-style ban remains "a potential tools under consideration".
• In The Spanish government, the prime minister has called on the legislature to enact a law lifting the legal age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has floated the idea of a ban for those under fifteen, and a government panel has endorsed a comparable move, including an overnight "screen time restriction" for older teenagers.
• The government in the Netherlands has recommended parents to restrict their kids from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the European parliament has adopted a symbolic statement supporting a ban for under-16s without guardian approval is given. Although it warns of the "habit-forming" quality of these services, the resolution does not establish enforceable legislation.

"An effective age limit is a useful first step," said a leading European lawmaker driving the measure.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Approach

In the UK, the government has kept open a potential ban, arguing that "no measure is off the table" but stressing any decision must be "based on strong data".

Last year, momentum grew behind a bill to introduce controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was eventually weakened. Instead, the administration pledged to conduct more studies the issue.

Charities have expressed warnings. An organization founded by the family of a teenager who died after being exposed to harmful social media material suggests that a blanket age ban could fail to improve online safety and could result in a "cliff edge" of exposure when teens turn 16.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the inability of the Silicon Valley to create platforms and apps that are appropriate and suitable for children," said a influential child protection advocate.

America: A State-by-State Landscape

Across America, regulation is largely happening at the local level due to national stalemate.

• Utah mandates guardian permission for minors to use social media and restricts late-night use.
• The state of Florida has signed a law barring those below 14 from joining social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• The state of Virginia has enacted a rule restricting teenagers to a single hour of social media use per day, with extra access needing adult consent.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly passed measures demanding guardian approval for under-16s 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 improbable.

Global Views

Apart from the West, other nations are similarly taking action.

• The Malaysian government aims to ban social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• Brazil has raised the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, global agencies adopt a more cautious tone. The UN children's agency has warned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "could have unintended consequences". The body notes that online platforms can be a "vital connection" for marginalized youth and that bans should not be a "substitute" for tech companies to prioritize safety.

Even as this worldwide conversation unfolds, the policies of this nation and others show that policymakers globally are less and less prepared to wait for platforms to self-regulate.