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The Australian controversial action to prohibit social networking access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves internationally. Politicians, safety advocates, and families are monitoring intently to see if this tactic will set a precedent for other nations.

European Movement

Throughout Europe, a growing chorus of countries are moving toward comparable measures.

• Denmark has announced a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the leader arguing that smartphones and apps are "stealing our children's youth". The policy may be enacted soon.
• The Norwegian government is preparing to implement a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to shield the young from the "power of the AI".
• Ireland is introducing a digital wallet to verify the user details of social media participants. Authorities have suggested that an Australian-model ban could be "one of the measures on the table".
• In Spain, the leader has asked lawmakers to enact a proposal raising the minimum age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a government panel has endorsed a similar step, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for adolescents.
• The government in The Netherlands has recommended guardians to prevent their youngsters from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has passed a symbolic resolution calling for a ban for minors except if parental consent is granted. Even though it warns of the "habit-forming" design of these services, the step does not enact enforceable legislation.

"An effective age barrier is a good first step," commented one European lawmaker supporting the resolution.

The United Kingdom: A Watchful Approach

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has kept open a possible ban, emphasizing that "nothing is off the table" but insisting any policy must be "grounded in conclusive evidence".

Earlier, momentum built behind a legislative effort to introduce limits on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end weakened. Instead, the administration committed to conduct more studies the topic.

Advocacy groups have raised concerns. An organization founded by the loved ones of a teenager who died after being exposed to harmful platform posts argues that a strict age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of risk when users turn 16.

"The Australian ban is a reaction to the inability of the tech sector to build products and services that are appropriate and fit for minors," commented a leading online safety campaigner.

America: A Decentralized Landscape

In the United States, regulation is primarily occurring at the regional level against a backdrop of national inaction.

• Utah requires adult approval for those under 18 to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• Florida has enacted a bill barring children under fourteen from joining social media, though it is subject to constitutional disputes.
• The state of Virginia has passed a law limiting under-16s to a single hour of social media use per day, with extra access needing parental permission.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly passed measures requiring adult authorization for under-16s to create social media accounts.

Even with widespread concern and proposals from some politicians to copy Australia's example, a nationwide ban is currently seen as a distant prospect.

Worldwide Perspectives

Outside of the West, other nations are also considering moves.

• Malaysia plans to prohibit social media for those under sixteen beginning next year.
• Brazil has lifted the required age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, international bodies take a more nuanced tone. The UN children's agency has cautioned that social media bans carry risks and "may even prove counterproductive". The body notes that the internet can be a "critical link" for marginalized children and that government action should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to prioritize child safeguards.

As this international discussion continues, the actions of the Australian government and others show that governments internationally are less and less willing to delay for the industry to act voluntarily.