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Australia's bold move to prohibit social platforms access for those under 16 is sparking debate internationally. Politicians, child protection groups, and families are monitoring closely to see if this strategy will set a precedent for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Trend

In Europe, a growing chorus of countries are moving toward comparable measures.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the leader stating that smartphones and apps are "stealing our kids' innocence". Legislation could be passed in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to shield children from the "power of the AI".
• Ireland is working on a online verification tool to confirm the user details of social media account holders. The media minister have indicated that an Australian-model ban is "one of the options under consideration".
• In The Spanish government, the president has urged parliament to approve a bill increasing the legal age for using social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has threatened a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has recommended a similar action, potentially involving an overnight "internet blackout" for adolescents.
• The authorities in The Netherlands has urged parents to prevent their children from social media until 15.

Across the European Union, the EU parliament has adopted a advisory motion supporting a ban for minors without a parent decides otherwise is given. While it cautions of the "habit-forming" quality of these services, the move does not enact enforceable legislation.

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

The UK: An Evidence-Based Stance

In the UK, the government has not ruled out a potential ban, emphasizing that "nothing is discarded" but maintaining any action must be "grounded in conclusive evidence".

Last year, support gathered behind a bill to introduce controls on social media use by teenagers, but it was in the end watered down. However, the government committed to further research the matter.

Advocacy groups have expressed apprehensions. A prominent charity set up by the family of a girl who took her own life after encountering dangerous platform posts suggests that a simple age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could lead to a "cliff edge" of risk when users turn 16.

"This ban is a answer to the inability of the social media companies to create tools that are appropriate and age appropriate for children," said a prominent online safety campaigner.

The US: A Fragmented Approach

Stateside, action is mostly unfolding at the local government level amid national stalemate.

• Utah demands parental consent for under-18s to use social media and limits late-night use.
• Florida has enacted a measure banning under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• Virginia has passed a regulation capping teenagers to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with extra use dependent on adult consent.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise passed bills mandating adult authorization for under-16s to open social media profiles.

Even with cross-party agreement and proposals from some individuals to follow this lead, a federal ban is presently seen as a distant prospect.

Worldwide Outlook

Apart from Europe and the US, other countries are likewise taking action.

• Malaysia plans to ban social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has increased the minimum age for Instagram to 16.

Yet, international agencies adopt a more measured tone. A major UN agency has cautioned that social media bans have downsides and "may even prove counterproductive". The organization points out that online platforms can be a "critical link" for isolated children and that government action should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to improve child safeguards.

Even as this international conversation unfolds, the policies of the Australian government and several other countries indicate that states internationally are no longer content to stand by for tech companies to act voluntarily.