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Australia's bold action to ban social media access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves worldwide. Politicians, child protection groups, and parents are observing closely to see if this strategy will become a template for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Movement

Across Europe, a rising group of countries are considering similar measures.

• The Danish government has announced a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the leader arguing that phones and networks are "taking away our kids' innocence". The policy may be passed soon.
• The Norwegian government is preparing to enforce a age restriction of 15, pointing to the need to protect children from the "power of the AI".
• The Irish government is developing a digital wallet to verify the age and identity of social media account holders. Authorities have stated that an Australian-model ban is "one of the measures under consideration".
• In Spain, the prime minister has urged lawmakers to approve a law lifting the legal age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has threatened a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has endorsed a comparable action, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for older teenagers.
• The authorities in the Netherlands has recommended families to restrict their kids from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the EU parliament has adopted a non-binding motion supporting a ban for minors except if parental consent is given. While it highlights of the "compulsive" quality of these platforms, the move does not enact enforceable legislation.

"An effective age barrier is a useful starting point," said a leading parliamentarian behind the initiative.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Approach

In the UK, the government has not ruled out a possible ban, arguing that "no option is discarded" but maintaining any action must be "grounded in strong research".

Previously, interest built behind a proposal to introduce controls on social media use by minors, but it was ultimately watered down. Nonetheless, the government vowed to investigate the topic.

Advocacy groups have raised warnings. An organization founded by the relatives of a young person who died after being exposed to harmful platform posts argues that a blanket age ban may not protect children and could lead to a "cliff edge" of risk when teens turn 16.

"This ban is a answer to the failure of the social media companies to design tools that are safe and fit for young users," commented a leading peer.

The US: A Decentralized Approach

Across America, regulation is primarily occurring at the regional level amid country-wide gridlock.

• Utah requires parental consent for minors to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
• Florida has signed a law banning those below 14 from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to court battles.
• Virginia has approved a regulation restricting under-16s to a single hour of social media time per day, with extra use needing a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also introduced measures mandating guardian approval for teenagers to create social media profiles.

Despite widespread concern and proposals from certain figures to follow this example, a federal ban is presently seen as a distant prospect.

Worldwide Views

Outside of the West, further countries are also exploring options.

• The Malaysian government plans to ban social media for those under sixteen beginning next year.
• Brazil has lifted the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.

But, world agencies strike a more measured position. A major UN agency has cautioned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "might prove counterproductive". The agency highlights that online platforms can be a "critical link" for isolated young people and that government action should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to invest in child safeguards.

While this global conversation continues, the steps of this nation and others demonstrate that governments globally are less and less prepared to wait for platforms to self-regulate.