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The Australian decisive policy to ban social platforms access for those under 16 is creating waves internationally. Lawmakers, campaigners, and parents are observing closely to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for other nations.

European Trend

Across Europe, a growing chorus of countries are considering similar bans.

• Denmark plans a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the PM declaring that mobile devices and apps are "robbing our kids' youth". A law may be formalized in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to implement a minimum age limit of 15, citing the need to protect children from the "influence of the AI".
• Ireland is developing a online verification tool to verify the user details of social media users. The media minister have suggested that an Australian-model ban could be "one of the options under consideration".
• In Spain, the leader has urged lawmakers to approve a bill lifting the minimum age for accessing social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a government panel has endorsed a related step, including an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The administration in the Netherlands has advised parents to block their kids from social media before 15.

Across the European Union, the EU parliament has passed a advisory motion supporting a ban for minors except if guardian approval is given. Although it cautions of the "habit-forming" design of these platforms, the resolution does not create mandatory rules.

"A clear age limit is a useful first step," stated the MEP driving the measure.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Approach

In the UK, the government has kept open a potential ban, stating that "nothing is discarded" but maintaining any policy must be "grounded in strong research".

Earlier, interest grew behind a proposal to enact restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was eventually watered down. Nonetheless, the administration pledged to investigate the matter.

Campaign organizations have voiced apprehensions. An organization established by the relatives of a teenager who died after being exposed to harmful platform posts suggests that a simple age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of risk when teens become eligible.

"This ban is a reaction to the failure of the Silicon Valley to create platforms and apps that are appropriate and fit for young users," said a influential peer.

The US: A Decentralized Approach

In the United States, regulation is primarily unfolding at the regional level amid federal gridlock.

• Utah requires adult approval for under-18s to use social media and restricts overnight use.
• Florida has enacted a law banning children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has approved a law capping under-16s to one hour of social media use per day, with extra access needing adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise introduced laws demanding guardian approval for minors to open social media profiles.

Despite widespread concern and proposals from some individuals to copy this path, a US-wide ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.

Global Outlook

Apart from the West, additional states are also exploring options.

• The Malaysian government intends to ban social media for those under sixteen starting from next year.
• Brazil has increased the required age for Instagram to 16.

Yet, international agencies strike a more cautious stance. The UN children's agency has advised that age-based restrictions pose dangers and "may even backfire". The agency points out that the internet can be a "critical link" for marginalized children and that bans should not be a "replacement" for tech companies to invest in safety.

Even as this worldwide conversation evolves, the actions of this nation and several other countries show that states around the world are no longer willing to stand by for tech companies to self-regulate.