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Australia's bold move to restrict social platforms access for young people below 16 is sparking debate worldwide. Officials, child protection groups, and parents are observing intently to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for countries abroad.

European Momentum

In Europe, a rising number of nations are considering comparable bans.

• Denmark has announced a prohibition on social media for under-15s, with the PM stating that phones and networks are "stealing our children's childhood". A law may be enacted next year.
• Norway is set to introduce a access barrier of 15, pointing to the need to shield young people from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is introducing a online verification tool to authenticate the user details of social media users. Officials have indicated that an Australian-model ban remains "a potential measures under consideration".
• In Spain, the prime minister has called on lawmakers to approve a law raising the access age for using social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a related move, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in the Netherlands has advised guardians to restrict their kids from social media before 15.

Across the European Union, the European parliament has approved a symbolic motion demanding a ban for under-16s except if parental consent is given. Although it warns of the "habit-forming" design of these apps, the resolution does not create binding law.

"A strong age barrier is a useful starting point," commented the MEP supporting the resolution.

The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Stance

Across Britain, the leadership has remained open to a future ban, emphasizing that "nothing is being dismissed" but maintaining any action must be "supported by conclusive evidence".

Earlier, momentum gathered behind a bill to introduce restrictions on social media use by teenagers, but it was eventually weakened. Instead, the government vowed to further research the topic.

Charities have voiced warnings. An organization set up by the family of a young person who took her own life after encountering dangerous social media material suggests that a blanket age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could result in a "sudden drop-off" of risk when teens reach the legal age.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the failure of the tech sector to create tools that are safe and fit for children," said a leading online safety campaigner.

The United States: A Decentralized Picture

Stateside, action is primarily happening at the local level against a backdrop of country-wide stalemate.

• Utah mandates adult approval for those under 18 to use social media and limits overnight use.
• The state of Florida has enacted a measure prohibiting children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has passed a law capping teenagers to a single hour of social media time per day, with additional access requiring a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly passed laws demanding parental consent for minors to open social media profiles.

Even with widespread concern and proposals from some politicians to copy this path, a federal ban is currently seen as unlikely.

Global Views

Apart from the West, additional countries are also taking action.

• Malaysia intends to ban social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has raised the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.

But, international bodies adopt a more measured position. The UN children's agency has cautioned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "may even have unintended consequences". The organization notes that online platforms can be a "critical link" for vulnerable children and that government action should not be a "excuse" for tech companies to improve safety.

While this global debate unfolds, the steps of this nation and its followers demonstrate that policymakers around the world are increasingly content to stand by for platforms to act voluntarily.