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The Australian decisive move to ban social networking access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves internationally. Politicians, safety advocates, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

The European Trend

Throughout Europe, a rising chorus of nations are moving toward comparable bans.

• Denmark has announced a ban on social media for under-15s, with the PM arguing that phones and platforms are "robbing our children's youth". The policy could be formalized in the coming year.
• Norway is planning to implement a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to safeguard children from the "power of the algorithms".
• Ireland is working on a online verification tool to verify the identity and age of social media account holders. The media minister have indicated that an similar ban remains "a potential tools in reserve".
• In Spain, the president has asked parliament to pass a law lifting the access age for using social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a government panel has suggested a similar action, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in The Netherlands has urged guardians to block their children from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the European parliament has adopted a symbolic resolution demanding a ban for minors except if parental consent is provided. Although it warns of the "compulsive" design of these services, the move does not establish mandatory rules.

"A clear age limit is a useful foundation," commented one parliamentarian driving the initiative.

The United Kingdom: A Watchful Stance

Across Britain, the administration has remained open to a possible ban, emphasizing that "no option is discarded" but maintaining any decision must be "based on strong data".

Previously, interest gathered behind a legislative effort to introduce restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was ultimately weakened. Instead, the administration pledged to conduct more studies the topic.

Advocacy groups have raised warnings. An organization set up by the family of a young person who took her own life after encountering dangerous platform posts suggests that a blanket age ban may not protect children and could create a "dangerous transition" of harm when teens reach the legal age.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the failure of the Silicon Valley to design tools that are secure and fit for young users," said a leading online safety campaigner.

America: A Fragmented Picture

In the United States, legislation is largely occurring at the state level due to national inaction.

• Utah mandates guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and controls late-night use.
• Florida has passed a law barring under-14s from joining social media, though it is entangled in court battles.
• Virginia has approved a law capping under-16s to one hour of social media time per day, with additional access needing adult consent.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly passed laws requiring adult authorization for minors to open social media accounts.

Even with cross-party agreement and suggestions from various figures to follow this lead, a US-wide ban is currently seen as improbable.

International Perspectives

Apart from these regions, further countries are likewise exploring options.

• The Malaysian government aims to ban social media for under-16s starting from next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has lifted the access age for one major platform to 16.

However, world organizations strike a more nuanced tone. A major UN agency has advised that blanket prohibitions carry risks and "might have unintended consequences". The agency points out that social networks can be a "critical link" for vulnerable youth and that bans should not be a "replacement" for social media firms to improve child safeguards.

Even as this global debate unfolds, the policies of the Australian government and several other countries indicate that states around the world are no longer prepared to wait for the industry to self-regulate.