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The Australian bold action to prohibit social media access for those under 16 is sending ripples worldwide. Lawmakers, campaigners, and guardians are watching closely to see if this strategy will become a template for countries abroad.

The European Movement

Throughout Europe, a increasing chorus of countries are considering comparable bans.

• Denmark has stated a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the leader declaring that phones and networks are "stealing our youngsters' youth". Legislation could be passed soon.
• Norway is set to implement a access barrier of 15, pointing to the need to protect children from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is working on a digital wallet to authenticate the identity and age of social media users. Authorities have indicated that an Australia-style ban remains "a potential tools in reserve".
• In The Spanish government, the leader has called on lawmakers to approve a proposal raising 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 parliamentary commission has recommended a related step, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in The Dutch government has urged guardians to block their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has adopted a symbolic resolution demanding a ban for minors except if a parent decides otherwise is provided. While it warns of the "compulsive" design of these apps, the move does not create mandatory rules.

"A strong age barrier is a good foundation," commented the MEP behind the initiative.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Approach

For the United Kingdom, the administration has kept open a potential ban, emphasizing that "nothing is being dismissed" but insisting any action must be "grounded in strong research".

Earlier, interest built behind a proposal to introduce restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was in the end weakened. Nonetheless, the administration committed to further research the issue.

Advocacy groups have voiced apprehensions. A prominent charity set up by the family of a girl who took her own life after being exposed to disturbing platform posts contends that a strict age ban might not improve online safety and could create a "sudden drop-off" of harm when users reach the legal age.

"The Australian ban is a response to the inability of the social media companies to create platforms and apps that are appropriate and age appropriate for minors," stated a influential child protection advocate.

America: A Fragmented Approach

Across America, action is mostly happening at the local level amid federal stalemate.

• The state of Utah requires adult approval for under-18s to use social media and limits nighttime use.
• Florida has signed a bill barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has enacted a regulation restricting under-16s to a single hour of social media use per day, with additional access dependent on a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise passed laws requiring adult authorization for under-16s to open social media presences.

Despite cross-party agreement and suggestions from certain figures to mimic this path, a federal ban is presently seen as improbable.

Global Views

Apart from Europe and the US, other states are similarly considering moves.

• Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for teenagers effective next year.
• Brazil has lifted the minimum age for Instagram to 16.

But, global bodies take a more measured tone. Unicef has cautioned that blanket prohibitions have downsides and "might have unintended consequences". The organization highlights that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for marginalized youth and that bans should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to improve child safeguards.

As this worldwide debate unfolds, the steps of the Australian government and several other countries demonstrate that policymakers globally are increasingly prepared to stand by for the industry to self-regulate.