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Australia's controversial move to ban social platforms access for young people below 16 is creating waves internationally. Lawmakers, child protection groups, and parents are monitoring closely to see if this strategy will set a precedent for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Trend

In Europe, a increasing group of states are exploring comparable restrictions.

• Denmark has stated a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister declaring that phones and networks are "robbing our children's innocence". The policy is expected to be formalized in the coming year.
• Norway is set to introduce a age restriction of 15, highlighting the need to safeguard young people from the "influence of the AI".
• Ireland is introducing a online verification tool to authenticate the age and identity of social media users. The media minister have stated that an similar ban remains "an tools on the table".
• In Spain, the president has urged parliament to approve a proposal increasing the legal age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the president has floated the idea of a ban for under-15s, and a government panel has suggested a related move, including an overnight "digital curfew" for adolescents.
• The government in the Netherlands has advised guardians to restrict their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.

Across the European Union, the European parliament has adopted a advisory statement demanding a ban for teenagers under 16 without a parent decides otherwise is granted. Even though it cautions of the "compulsive" design of these apps, the resolution does not create mandatory rules.

"A clear age restriction is a good foundation," said the European lawmaker supporting the initiative.

The UK: A Cautious Eye

In the UK, the leadership has kept open a future ban, arguing that "no measure is discarded" but insisting any decision must be "grounded in robust research".

Last year, support built behind a bill to introduce controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end modified. However, the administration committed to further research the issue.

Advocacy groups have expressed warnings. A prominent charity set up by the relatives of a young person who took her own life after being exposed to disturbing social media material argues that a strict age ban may not make platforms safer and could result in a "sudden drop-off" of harm when young people become eligible.

"Australia's ban is a response to the refusal of the tech sector to design tools that are secure and fit for young users," stated a influential peer.

The US: A Decentralized Approach

Stateside, legislation is mostly occurring at the state level against a backdrop of country-wide stalemate.

• Utah demands guardian permission for minors to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
• Florida has passed a law banning those below 14 from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• The state of Virginia has enacted a regulation restricting under-16s to 60 minutes of social media use per day, with any further use dependent on adult consent.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise enacted measures mandating adult authorization for under-16s to open social media profiles.

Even with bipartisan support and calls from some individuals to follow the Australian path, a nationwide ban is currently seen as unlikely.

International Views

Beyond the West, further states are similarly taking action.

• The Malaysian government plans to prohibit social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
• Brazil has increased the required age for Instagram to 16.

Yet, international agencies adopt a more cautious position. Unicef has cautioned that age-based restrictions have downsides and "might prove counterproductive". The body notes that social networks can be a "lifeline" for vulnerable children and that bans should not be a "excuse" for platform operators to invest in user protection.

As this international discussion continues, the policies of this nation and others demonstrate that states internationally are less and less content to delay for tech companies to self-regulate.