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Australia's controversial move to ban social networking access for individuals under sixteen is sparking debate worldwide. Officials, campaigners, and parents are monitoring intently to see if this approach will inspire imitation for other nations.

The European Trend

Throughout Europe, a increasing group of countries are moving toward parallel bans.

• The Danish government plans a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the PM stating that smartphones and apps are "stealing our kids' youth". Legislation could be enacted in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to implement a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to protect young people from the "influence of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is developing a online verification tool to confirm the identity and age of social media participants. Authorities have stated that an Australian-model ban could be "a potential tools under consideration".
• In Spain, the prime minister has asked parliament to approve a law lifting the access age for joining social media to 16.
• In The French government, the leader has threatened a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has suggested a related action, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in the Netherlands has urged parents to block their kids from social media before 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has adopted a symbolic resolution calling for a ban for minors without parental consent is provided. While it warns of the "habit-forming" design of these services, the resolution does not create binding law.

"A strong age restriction is a good first step," said one MEP supporting the resolution.

The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Eye

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has not ruled out a future ban, arguing that "no measure is being dismissed" but stressing any decision must be "grounded in conclusive evidence".

Last year, momentum built behind a proposal to enact restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was in the end weakened. Instead, the administration committed to investigate the matter.

Campaign organizations have expressed apprehensions. One foundation established by the relatives of a girl who was lost after viewing harmful online content argues that a strict age ban might not improve online safety and could create a "sudden drop-off" of harm when teens reach the legal age.

"The Australian ban is a response to the refusal of the tech sector to create tools that are appropriate and fit for young users," commented a leading online safety campaigner.

America: A State-by-State Approach

Stateside, regulation is largely unfolding at the state level due to country-wide inaction.

• Utah requires adult approval for under-18s to use social media and controls overnight use.
• Florida has passed a measure prohibiting children under fourteen from creating accounts on social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has passed a regulation restricting minors to a single hour of social media time per day, with any further access dependent on a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly introduced bills demanding parental consent for teenagers to create social media accounts.

Despite widespread concern and suggestions from certain politicians to follow Australia's example, a US-wide ban is currently seen as improbable.

Global Views

Apart from the West, other states are similarly taking action.

• Malaysia intends to ban social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• Brazil has raised the minimum age for Instagram to 16.

However, international agencies take a more nuanced tone. The UN children's agency has warned that age-based restrictions pose dangers and "could have unintended consequences". The agency highlights that social networks can be a "lifeline" for vulnerable children and that bans should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to prioritize child safeguards.

While this international conversation unfolds, the policies of the Australian government and others indicate that policymakers globally are less and less content to wait for the industry to make changes on their own.