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The Australian bold move to ban social media access for those under 16 is sparking debate worldwide. Officials, child protection groups, and parents are watching with great interest to see if this approach will become a template for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Trend

Throughout Europe, a increasing group of states are moving toward similar measures.

• Denmark plans a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the prime minister stating that phones and platforms are "taking away our children's innocence". A law could be formalized in the coming year.
• Norway is set to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to shield the young from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is introducing a digital wallet to authenticate the user details of social media users. Authorities have indicated that an Australian-model ban remains "an tools under consideration".
• In The Spanish government, the leader has asked lawmakers to pass a proposal raising the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the president has threatened a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has endorsed a comparable move, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The government in The Dutch government has urged families to restrict their kids from social media up to the age of 15.

For the broader EU, the European parliament has approved a advisory statement calling for a ban for minors without a parent decides otherwise is given. While it cautions of the "addictive" nature of these apps, the resolution does not enact mandatory rules.

"An effective age restriction is a solid foundation," commented the European lawmaker driving the resolution.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Stance

Across Britain, the government has not ruled out a possible ban, arguing that "nothing is discarded" but maintaining any action must be "grounded in strong research".

Last year, interest built behind a proposal to introduce restrictions on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end weakened. Instead, the government vowed to investigate the issue.

Charities have raised concerns. An organization set up by the family of a young person who took her own life after encountering dangerous platform posts contends that a strict age ban may not make platforms safer and could create a "sudden drop-off" of exposure when young people become eligible.

"The Australian ban is a answer to the inability of the tech sector to create products and services that are appropriate and fit for minors," stated a leading online safety campaigner.

America: A Fragmented Approach

In the United States, legislation is largely happening at the local level amid national stalemate.

• Utah mandates parental consent for those under 18 to use social media and controls late-night use.
• Florida has enacted a measure banning under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is entangled in constitutional disputes.
• The state of Virginia has enacted a rule limiting teenagers to one hour of social media use per day, with additional use needing adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly introduced laws mandating adult authorization for under-16s to create social media profiles.

Despite bipartisan support and calls from some individuals to follow this path, a US-wide ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.

Global Outlook

Apart from the West, additional states are similarly taking action.

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

However, international agencies strike a more cautious stance. A major UN agency has cautioned that social media bans pose dangers and "might backfire". The organization points out that online platforms can be a "critical link" for isolated youth and that bans should not be a "excuse" for tech companies to improve user protection.

As this international discussion continues, the actions of Australia and others indicate that states globally are less and less content to delay for platforms to make changes on their own.