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The Australian decisive move to ban social platforms access for individuals under sixteen is sparking debate internationally. Politicians, child protection groups, and guardians are watching with great interest to see if this strategy will set a precedent for countries abroad.

Across Europe Momentum

Across Europe, a rising chorus of states are exploring similar restrictions.

• Denmark has announced a prohibition on social media for under-15s, with the prime minister arguing that mobile devices and apps are "taking away our children's innocence". A law could be passed soon.
• Norway is set to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to protect the young from the "influence of the algorithms".
• Ireland is working on a digital wallet to authenticate the identity and age of social media users. The media minister have indicated that an Australia-style ban remains "an measures in reserve".
• In The Spanish government, the president has called on the legislature to enact a proposal lifting the access age for using social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has proposed a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has recommended a similar step, including an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in The Netherlands has advised parents to restrict their kids from social media before 15.

Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has adopted a non-binding motion calling for a ban for minors without a parent decides otherwise is given. While it warns of the "compulsive" quality of these platforms, the step does not establish binding law.

"An effective age barrier is a solid starting point," said the European lawmaker supporting the measure.

The UK: A Watchful Eye

For the United Kingdom, the government has kept open a future ban, emphasizing that "nothing is being dismissed" but stressing any decision must be "based on conclusive research".

Previously, momentum grew behind a bill to impose controls on social media use by minors, but it was in the end watered down. Instead, the government pledged to investigate the matter.

Charities have expressed apprehensions. An organization established by the relatives of a girl who was lost after being exposed to harmful online content suggests that a simple age ban could fail to protect children and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of exposure when users turn 16.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the failure of the tech sector to design tools that are appropriate and suitable for children," said a influential online safety campaigner.

The United States: A Fragmented Approach

Across America, legislation is mostly unfolding at the local level amid federal stalemate.

• Utah demands parental consent for under-18s to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• The state of Florida has signed a bill barring those below 14 from joining social media, though it faces court battles.
• Virginia has enacted a regulation limiting teenagers to a single hour of social media access per day, with any further access dependent on a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise introduced bills demanding parental consent for minors to set up social media profiles.

Despite bipartisan support and suggestions from some politicians to copy the Australian example, a US-wide ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.

Worldwide Outlook

Beyond Europe and the US, other states are likewise taking action.

• Malaysia plans to prohibit social media for teenagers effective next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has increased the access age for Instagram to 16.

Yet, global organizations take a more cautious stance. The UN children's agency has cautioned that social media bans have downsides and "might have unintended consequences". The body notes that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for vulnerable youth and that bans should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to prioritize child safeguards.

As this global discussion continues, the policies of this nation and several other countries indicate that states around the world are increasingly willing to delay for the industry to act voluntarily.