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The nation's decisive policy to ban social media access for young people below 16 is sparking debate internationally. Lawmakers, child protection groups, and guardians are monitoring with great interest to see if this strategy will set a precedent for other nations.

Across Europe Movement

In Europe, a growing number of states are considering similar restrictions.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the PM stating that mobile devices and networks are "taking away our youngsters' innocence". A law is expected to be passed in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to enforce a access barrier of 15, highlighting the need to shield young people from the "manipulative force of the recommendation systems".
• The Irish government is introducing a digital ID system to confirm the identity and age of social media account holders. Officials have suggested that an Australian-model ban remains "one of the measures in reserve".
• In Spain, the prime minister has asked lawmakers to pass a law increasing the access age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the president has proposed a ban for those under fifteen, and a government panel has recommended a comparable move, including an overnight "internet blackout" for adolescents.
• The government in the Netherlands has urged families to block their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the European parliament has adopted a symbolic resolution supporting a ban for under-16s unless a parent decides otherwise is granted. Even though it warns of the "compulsive" design of these services, the move does not establish mandatory rules.

"A clear age limit is a useful foundation," commented a leading European lawmaker driving the resolution.

The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Approach

For the United Kingdom, the administration has remained open to a potential ban, emphasizing that "no measure is off the table" but insisting any decision must be "based on robust data".

Earlier, momentum gathered behind a proposal to impose controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was ultimately modified. Instead, the administration vowed to conduct more studies the matter.

Charities have expressed apprehensions. One foundation founded by the family of a teenager who died after being exposed to harmful platform posts suggests that a simple age ban could fail to improve online safety and could lead to a "cliff edge" of harm when young people reach the legal age.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the failure of the social media companies to design tools that are safe and fit for children," stated a prominent peer.

The United States: A Fragmented Approach

Stateside, regulation is mostly happening at the state level due to national inaction.

• Utah demands guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• Florida has enacted a law barring those below 14 from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to court battles.
• The state of Virginia has passed a regulation limiting under-16s to a single hour of social media time per day, with any further use needing parental permission.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise enacted measures demanding parental consent for minors to set up social media presences.

Even with bipartisan support and calls from some individuals to mimic this lead, a US-wide ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.

International Perspectives

Outside of Europe and the US, additional countries are likewise considering moves.

• Malaysia plans to restrict social media for under-16s effective next year.
• Brazil has increased the access age for Instagram to 16.

Yet, global bodies take a more nuanced position. The UN children's agency has cautioned that blanket prohibitions carry risks and "could have unintended consequences". The organization notes that social networks can be a "critical link" for vulnerable youth and that bans should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to invest in user protection.

As this international conversation evolves, the actions of Australia and several other countries indicate that policymakers around the world are increasingly prepared to delay for tech companies to make changes on their own.