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The Australian controversial move to prohibit social platforms access for young people below 16 is creating waves around the globe. Politicians, safety advocates, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this approach will set a precedent for countries abroad.

Across Europe Momentum

In Europe, a rising group of nations are moving toward comparable restrictions.

• The Danish government has announced a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the leader declaring that smartphones and networks are "taking away our youngsters' childhood". The policy may be passed next year.
• Norway is set to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to safeguard children from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is developing a digital wallet to confirm the user details of social media participants. Officials have stated that an similar ban could be "one of the options on the table".
• In The Spanish government, the leader has urged parliament to pass a law lifting the legal age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a government panel has endorsed a similar move, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The administration in The Dutch government has urged guardians to prevent their children from social media up to the age of 15.

Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has approved a advisory resolution supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 without guardian approval is granted. While it warns of the "compulsive" design of these platforms, the step does not enact enforceable legislation.

"A strong age barrier is a solid starting point," said one parliamentarian behind the measure.

The UK: A Watchful Eye

Across Britain, the administration has kept open a future ban, emphasizing that "no measure is being dismissed" but insisting any action must be "based on conclusive research".

Last year, support grew behind a bill to impose restrictions on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end watered down. Instead, the administration vowed to investigate the matter.

Campaign organizations have voiced apprehensions. A prominent charity set up by the loved ones of a teenager who died after encountering disturbing social media material suggests that a blanket age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of risk when young people become eligible.

"This ban is a answer to the inability of the tech sector to build products and services that are secure and fit for minors," stated a influential online safety campaigner.

The United States: A State-by-State Picture

In the United States, action is mostly occurring at the state level against a backdrop of national inaction.

• Utah mandates adult approval for those under 18 to use social media and restricts late-night use.
• The state of Florida has enacted a bill prohibiting under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it faces court battles.
• The state of Virginia has approved a law restricting minors to one hour of social media use per day, with any further use requiring adult consent.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have also introduced bills demanding parental consent for minors to open social media presences.

Even with cross-party agreement and suggestions from certain politicians to mimic Australia's lead, a US-wide ban is currently seen as unlikely.

Global Outlook

Beyond these regions, further countries are similarly taking action.

• Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for teenagers starting from next year.
• Brazil has increased the required age for one major platform to 16.

Yet, international agencies take a more measured position. A major UN agency has cautioned that age-based restrictions have downsides and "might backfire". The agency notes that the internet can be a "lifeline" for vulnerable children and that bans should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to invest in safety.

While this global conversation unfolds, the steps of this nation and several other countries show that states globally are less and less willing to stand by for platforms to self-regulate.