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The Australian decisive action to prohibit social platforms access for young people below 16 is sending ripples internationally. Officials, campaigners, and parents are watching with great interest to see if this approach will become a template for other nations.

The European Movement

In Europe, a rising number of countries are considering similar bans.

• Denmark has stated a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the PM arguing that mobile devices and apps are "robbing our kids' childhood". A law could be passed in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to introduce a access barrier of 15, highlighting the need to safeguard the young from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• Ireland is developing a digital wallet to confirm the age and identity of social media account holders. Officials have suggested that an Australian-model ban could be "an options in reserve".
• In The Spanish government, the leader has called on lawmakers to enact a bill increasing the legal age for accessing social media to 16.
• In The French government, the head of state has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has recommended a comparable action, potentially involving an overnight "internet blackout" for older teenagers.
• The authorities in The Netherlands has urged guardians to restrict their children from social media until 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has passed a advisory statement supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 except if guardian approval is given. Even though it warns of the "addictive" nature of these apps, the resolution does not establish binding law.

"A clear age barrier is a good starting point," stated a leading parliamentarian supporting the resolution.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Stance

Across Britain, the administration has remained open to a potential ban, stating that "nothing is being dismissed" but stressing any policy must be "grounded in conclusive evidence".

Last year, momentum grew behind a proposal to introduce limits on social media use by teenagers, but it was eventually weakened. Nonetheless, the government committed to investigate the topic.

Advocacy groups have raised apprehensions. An organization set up by the family of a teenager who died after being exposed to harmful platform posts contends that a strict age ban may not make platforms safer and could result in a "sudden drop-off" of exposure when teens become eligible.

"The Australian ban is a reaction to the refusal of the social media companies to build tools that are secure and suitable for young users," said a leading online safety campaigner.

America: A Decentralized Landscape

In the United States, regulation is primarily occurring at the regional government level due to federal inaction.

• The state of Utah requires guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• Florida has enacted a bill barring those below 14 from accessing social media, though it faces court battles.
• Virginia has approved a law capping under-16s to a single hour of social media access per day, with additional access dependent on a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly passed measures requiring adult authorization for teenagers to set up social media accounts.

Even with cross-party agreement and proposals from certain figures to follow the Australian lead, a nationwide ban is presently seen as unlikely.

Worldwide Views

Apart from Europe and the US, other states are likewise considering moves.

• Malaysia plans to prohibit social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• Brazil has lifted the minimum age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, international organizations take a more nuanced stance. Unicef has warned that blanket prohibitions carry risks and "may even have unintended consequences". The organization notes that the internet can be a "critical link" for marginalized youth and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for tech companies to improve child safeguards.

Even as this global discussion continues, the policies of this nation and several other countries show that governments around the world are increasingly willing to stand by for platforms to make changes on their own.