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The nation's decisive move to prohibit social platforms access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves internationally. Officials, campaigners, and parents are observing with great interest to see if this approach will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

European Movement

Throughout Europe, a rising chorus of nations are moving toward parallel restrictions.

• The Danish government plans a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the prime minister arguing that mobile devices and networks are "stealing our youngsters' youth". The policy is expected to be enacted soon.
• Norway is preparing to enforce a access barrier of 15, citing the need to safeguard young people from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is working on a digital ID system to confirm the identity and age of social media account holders. Authorities have suggested that an Australia-style ban is "one of the measures on the table".
• In Spain, the prime minister has urged parliament to enact a law raising the minimum age for joining social media to 16.
• In The French government, the leader has proposed a ban for those under fifteen, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a comparable move, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for older teenagers.
• The government in the Netherlands has recommended families to prevent their children from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has approved a advisory resolution supporting a ban for minors except if a parent decides otherwise is given. While it cautions of the "addictive" quality of these apps, the move does not establish binding law.

"A clear age barrier is a solid foundation," commented one MEP supporting the initiative.

Britain: A Watchful Approach

In the UK, the government has remained open to a potential ban, stating that "no measure is being dismissed" but maintaining any action must be "grounded in robust data".

Previously, support built behind a legislative effort to impose restrictions on social media use by teenagers, but it was ultimately watered down. Instead, the government vowed to investigate the topic.

Advocacy groups have raised warnings. An organization established by the family of a teenager who took her own life after encountering dangerous social media material argues that a blanket age ban may not make platforms safer and could result in a "cliff edge" of harm when young people reach the legal age.

"The Australian ban is a answer to the failure of the tech sector to build platforms and apps that are secure and age appropriate for children," stated a influential peer.

America: A Fragmented Approach

Across America, regulation is mostly happening at the local government level due to national gridlock.

• Utah mandates guardian permission for minors to use social media and restricts late-night use.
• Florida has passed a bill prohibiting under-14s from joining social media, though it is entangled in constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has enacted a regulation limiting under-16s to a single hour of social media use per day, with extra time dependent on a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise enacted laws demanding parental consent for teenagers to set up social media profiles.

Even with bipartisan support and proposals from some politicians to copy the Australian example, a federal ban is presently seen as unlikely.

International Perspectives

Beyond Europe and the US, additional countries are also exploring options.

• Malaysia aims to restrict social media for teenagers beginning next year.
• Brazil has raised the required age for one major platform to 16.

However, global organizations strike a more nuanced position. Unicef has advised that social media bans have downsides and "might prove counterproductive". The agency points out that social networks can be a "critical link" for vulnerable youth and that regulation should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to improve user protection.

As this international debate continues, the steps of Australia and several other countries show that policymakers around the world are increasingly content to delay for platforms to make changes on their own.