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Australia's decisive policy to ban social media access for individuals under sixteen is sparking debate internationally. Officials, campaigners, and families are observing with great interest to see if this approach will set a precedent for countries abroad.

European Momentum

Across Europe, a growing group of nations are exploring comparable measures.

• The Danish government plans a prohibition on social media for children under fifteen, with the leader stating that phones and platforms are "robbing our kids' childhood". Legislation is expected to be enacted soon.
• Norway is preparing to implement a access barrier of 15, citing the need to safeguard the young from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is working on a digital wallet to authenticate the age and identity of social media participants. Authorities have suggested that an similar ban could be "one of the options in reserve".
• In The Spanish government, the president has called on lawmakers to pass a bill raising the legal age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the president has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a government panel has endorsed a related step, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for older teenagers.
• The administration in The Netherlands has urged guardians to block their youngsters from social media before 15.

Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has adopted a advisory resolution calling for a ban for minors unless guardian approval is given. Although it warns of the "addictive" nature of these apps, the resolution does not create binding law.

"A clear age limit is a good foundation," commented a leading European lawmaker behind the measure.

Britain: A Cautious Eye

In the UK, the leadership has not ruled out a possible ban, stating that "no measure is off the table" but stressing any action must be "supported by robust evidence".

Previously, support built behind a bill to impose controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was eventually weakened. However, the administration vowed to further research the topic.

Advocacy groups have raised concerns. A prominent charity set up by the relatives of a teenager who took her own life after being exposed to disturbing platform posts suggests that a strict age ban could fail to protect children and could create a "dangerous transition" of exposure when young people turn 16.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the refusal of the social media companies to create platforms and apps that are secure and age appropriate for minors," commented a influential online safety campaigner.

The United States: A Fragmented Approach

Across America, legislation is primarily unfolding at the local level amid national stalemate.

• Utah mandates guardian permission for those under 18 to use social media and restricts late-night use.
• Florida has passed a measure prohibiting children under fourteen from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to constitutional disputes.
• The state of Virginia has passed a rule restricting teenagers to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with additional use dependent on a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise passed bills demanding parental consent for minors to set up social media accounts.

Even with cross-party agreement and proposals from some politicians to mimic this path, a federal ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.

Global Perspectives

Beyond Europe and the US, further nations are also taking action.

• Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for under-16s starting from next year.
• Brazil has raised the minimum age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, global organizations adopt a more measured position. A major UN agency has advised that blanket prohibitions have downsides and "might prove counterproductive". The agency points out that the internet can be a "critical link" for marginalized children and that government action should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to improve user protection.

Even as this international discussion evolves, the policies of the Australian government and several other countries show that policymakers around the world are no longer content to delay for the industry to act voluntarily.