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The Australian decisive policy to prohibit social platforms access for young people below 16 is creating waves around the globe. Politicians, campaigners, and parents are watching intently to see if this strategy will inspire imitation for countries abroad.

Across Europe Trend

In Europe, a growing group of states are considering parallel measures.

• The Danish government has announced a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister stating that phones and platforms are "taking away our children's youth". Legislation could be enacted in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard the young from the "influence of the algorithms".
• Ireland is introducing a digital wallet to confirm the identity and age of social media participants. Officials have suggested that an similar ban is "a potential options on the table".
• In Spain, the president has called on lawmakers to pass a bill increasing the minimum age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a government panel has recommended a similar action, including an overnight "digital curfew" for older teenagers.
• The authorities in The Dutch government has advised parents to prevent their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.

Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has passed a advisory statement demanding a ban for under-16s except if parental consent is given. While it cautions of the "addictive" design of these services, the move does not enact enforceable legislation.

"A strong age barrier is a useful starting point," stated a leading European lawmaker supporting the resolution.

Britain: A Cautious Stance

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has kept open a possible ban, arguing that "nothing is discarded" but stressing any policy must be "supported by conclusive evidence".

Earlier, support gathered behind a bill to impose limits on social media use by minors, but it was ultimately watered down. However, the government committed to conduct more studies the issue.

Advocacy groups have voiced warnings. A prominent charity set up by the family of a girl who took her own life after viewing dangerous social media material contends that a simple age ban might not protect children and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of exposure when users become eligible.

"Australia's ban is a reaction to the failure of the social media companies to design platforms and apps that are safe and suitable for children," said a influential child protection advocate.

The United States: A State-by-State Approach

Stateside, regulation is primarily unfolding at the regional government level amid national inaction.

• The state of Utah mandates parental consent for those under 18 to use social media and limits overnight use.
• Florida has passed a measure prohibiting those below 14 from accessing social media, though it faces court battles.
• Virginia has approved a law capping under-16s to 60 minutes of social media use per day, with extra use dependent on a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly passed bills requiring parental consent for under-16s to create social media presences.

Despite widespread concern and proposals from certain individuals to copy the Australian lead, a US-wide ban is currently seen as unlikely.

International Perspectives

Apart from these regions, other nations are similarly exploring options.

• Malaysia intends to prohibit social media for teenagers effective next year.
• Brazil has raised the required age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, world agencies take a more nuanced stance. Unicef has cautioned that social media bans have downsides and "might backfire". The body notes that the internet can be a "critical link" for vulnerable youth and that bans should not be a "excuse" for platform operators to invest in safety.

Even as this global conversation evolves, the actions of the Australian government and others demonstrate that governments around the world are no longer prepared to stand by for the industry to act voluntarily.