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The Australian bold action to prohibit social networking access for those under 16 is sparking debate worldwide. Officials, safety advocates, and guardians are observing closely to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Trend

Throughout Europe, a growing group of states are exploring parallel measures.

• Denmark plans a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the prime minister stating that mobile devices and networks are "robbing our children's childhood". The policy is expected to be enacted next year.
• The Norwegian government is set to introduce a age restriction of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard the young from the "influence of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is introducing a online verification tool to confirm the user details of social media account holders. Officials have indicated that an similar ban remains "an options in reserve".
• In Spain, the leader has called on parliament to enact a bill raising the legal age for accessing social media to 16.
• In The French government, the head of state has threatened a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has endorsed a similar action, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for adolescents.
• The government in The Dutch government has advised families to block their youngsters from social media before 15.

At the EU level, the European parliament has passed a non-binding statement calling for a ban for minors unless guardian approval is given. While it warns of the "habit-forming" quality of these apps, the step does not create mandatory rules.

"A clear age restriction is a useful first step," stated one MEP supporting the resolution.

Britain: A Watchful Eye

Across Britain, the leadership has remained open to a potential ban, stating that "no option is off the table" but insisting any decision must be "grounded in robust research".

Earlier, momentum grew behind a legislative effort to introduce limits on social media use by teenagers, but it was eventually modified. Nonetheless, the government committed to investigate the topic.

Charities have raised apprehensions. An organization founded by the loved ones of a teenager who was lost after being exposed to harmful platform posts argues that a simple age ban may not improve online safety and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of harm when teens reach the legal age.

"This ban is a reaction to the inability of the social media companies to build products and services that are safe and suitable for children," said a leading child protection advocate.

The United States: A State-by-State Picture

In the United States, action is primarily occurring at the state level against a backdrop of national inaction.

• Utah mandates guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and restricts overnight use.
• Florida has passed a measure banning those below 14 from joining social media, though it faces legal challenges.
• The state of Virginia has passed a rule limiting under-16s to a single hour of social media use per day, with extra use needing adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also enacted measures demanding parental consent for minors to create social media accounts.

Despite widespread concern and proposals from certain individuals to copy this lead, a federal ban is currently seen as a distant prospect.

Global Perspectives

Apart from the West, additional states are also exploring options.

• Malaysia plans to prohibit social media for teenagers effective next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has increased the minimum age for Instagram to 16.

Yet, world bodies adopt a more measured position. The UN children's agency has advised that age-based restrictions pose dangers and "might prove counterproductive". The agency notes that social networks can be a "lifeline" for marginalized youth and that regulation should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to invest in user protection.

Even as this international conversation unfolds, the policies of the Australian government and others show that states globally are less and less content to stand by for the industry to self-regulate.