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Australia's controversial move to prohibit social media access for those under 16 is sparking debate around the globe. Officials, safety advocates, and guardians are monitoring intently to see if this approach will become a template for countries abroad.

Across Europe Trend

Across Europe, a increasing number of countries are exploring parallel bans.

• The Danish government plans a restriction on social media for youth below 15, with the PM declaring that smartphones and platforms are "robbing our children's childhood". Legislation may be enacted soon.
• Norway is set to enforce a access barrier of 15, pointing to the need to shield the young from the "influence of the AI".
• The Irish government is introducing a online verification tool to verify the age and identity of social media account holders. Officials have stated that an similar ban remains "one of the tools in reserve".
• In Spain, the leader has urged lawmakers to approve a proposal raising the access age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a government panel has recommended a related step, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The administration in The Dutch government has recommended guardians to prevent their kids from social media until 15.

Across the European Union, the European parliament has passed a symbolic resolution calling for a ban for minors except if guardian approval is provided. While it cautions of the "addictive" nature of these services, the step does not establish binding law.

"A strong age limit is a good first step," stated one European lawmaker behind the initiative.

Britain: A Cautious Approach

Across Britain, the leadership has not ruled out a possible ban, stating that "no option is discarded" but maintaining any policy must be "grounded in conclusive evidence".

Last year, interest gathered behind a proposal to introduce controls on social media use by minors, but it was eventually watered down. Nonetheless, the administration committed to investigate the issue.

Charities have raised apprehensions. A prominent charity founded by the relatives of a girl who died after being exposed to harmful social media material argues that a strict age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could result in a "sudden drop-off" of exposure when teens become eligible.

"Australia's ban is a reaction to the failure of the social media companies to design products and services that are appropriate and fit for young users," said a influential child protection advocate.

America: A Fragmented Approach

In the United States, regulation is mostly occurring at the local level amid federal inaction.

• The state of Utah mandates parental consent for minors to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
• Florida has enacted a bill barring those below 14 from joining social media, though it is entangled in legal challenges.
• Virginia has passed a rule capping under-16s to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with extra use requiring parental permission.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also introduced laws mandating adult authorization for under-16s to open social media presences.

Even with cross-party agreement and calls from some figures to follow this lead, a US-wide ban is currently seen as a distant prospect.

Worldwide Perspectives

Outside of the West, other nations are similarly exploring options.

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

However, global agencies take a more nuanced stance. A major UN agency has cautioned that social media bans have downsides and "may even have unintended consequences". The body notes that social networks can be a "critical link" for marginalized young people and that government action should not be a "replacement" for social media firms to invest in user protection.

As this worldwide conversation unfolds, the policies of this nation and others indicate that states internationally are less and less content to stand by for the industry to make changes on their own.