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The nation's bold move to prohibit social platforms access for individuals under sixteen is sending ripples internationally. Lawmakers, child protection groups, and parents are monitoring with great interest to see if this approach will inspire imitation for countries abroad.

The European Trend

In Europe, a rising group of nations are considering parallel restrictions.

• Denmark has announced a prohibition on social media for under-15s, with the PM declaring that mobile devices and apps are "taking away our kids' youth". A law could be passed next year.
• The Norwegian government is set to implement a age restriction of 15, pointing to the need to shield young people from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is working on a digital ID system to confirm the user details of social media participants. The media minister have stated that an Australian-model ban remains "one of the measures under consideration".
• In Spain, the president has asked the legislature to enact a law lifting the access age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has floated the idea of a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has recommended a related action, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The government in the Netherlands has recommended guardians to restrict their children from social media before 15.

Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has adopted a advisory motion demanding a ban for minors without guardian approval is granted. Although it highlights of the "habit-forming" quality of these apps, the resolution does not enact enforceable legislation.

"A clear age restriction is a solid starting point," stated a leading parliamentarian behind the resolution.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Approach

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has remained open to a potential ban, emphasizing that "no option is being dismissed" but maintaining any decision must be "based on robust research".

Previously, interest gathered behind a bill to enact controls on social media use by teenagers, but it was in the end weakened. Nonetheless, the administration pledged to further research the topic.

Campaign organizations have expressed warnings. One foundation established by the loved ones of a young person who was lost after encountering harmful social media material suggests that a strict age ban might not protect children and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of risk when young people reach the legal age.

"This ban is a reaction to the inability of the social media companies to create products and services that are secure and fit for children," said a leading peer.

The US: A Decentralized Landscape

In the United States, action is largely happening at the regional government level due to national stalemate.

• The state of Utah demands adult approval for under-18s to use social media and controls overnight use.
• Florida has enacted a bill prohibiting under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has enacted a regulation restricting minors to a single hour of social media access per day, with additional time requiring parental permission.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed measures mandating parental consent for under-16s to open social media profiles.

Despite cross-party agreement and calls from some individuals to mimic the Australian example, a federal ban is presently seen as improbable.

International Outlook

Beyond Europe and the US, further states are similarly considering moves.

• The Malaysian government plans to prohibit social media for those under sixteen starting from next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has increased the access age for Instagram to 16.

But, global organizations take a more nuanced stance. Unicef has advised that social media bans have downsides and "may even have unintended consequences". The organization highlights that social networks can be a "lifeline" for isolated youth and that regulation should not be a "substitute" for tech companies to improve user protection.

As this global debate unfolds, the policies of Australia and its followers indicate that states internationally are increasingly prepared to delay for platforms to act voluntarily.