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The Australian bold action to restrict social platforms access for young people below 16 is sending ripples internationally. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and families are watching with great interest to see if this approach will become a template for countries abroad.

Across Europe Movement

Throughout Europe, a rising group of countries are moving toward parallel measures.

• Denmark has announced a prohibition on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister declaring that phones and platforms are "stealing our kids' innocence". The policy may be passed in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to implement a age restriction of 15, pointing to the need to protect the young from the "manipulative force of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is introducing a online verification tool to confirm the identity and age of social media users. The media minister have stated that an Australian-model ban could be "one of the measures under consideration".
• In Spain, the leader has called on parliament to approve a bill increasing the minimum age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has proposed a ban for those under fifteen, and a government panel has recommended a related step, including an overnight "screen time restriction" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The administration in the Netherlands has recommended guardians to restrict their kids from social media until 15.

Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has adopted a advisory statement calling for a ban for under-16s unless parental consent is given. Even though it highlights of the "compulsive" quality of these apps, the resolution does not establish enforceable legislation.

"An effective age barrier is a useful foundation," stated one European lawmaker driving the resolution.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Approach

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has remained open to a future ban, arguing that "no measure is off the table" but stressing any policy must be "based on conclusive evidence".

Earlier, support built behind a bill to impose restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was eventually watered down. However, the government pledged to further research the topic.

Campaign organizations have expressed warnings. One foundation established by the loved ones of a young person who took her own life after encountering harmful online content suggests that a blanket age ban might not improve online safety and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of risk when teens turn 16.

"The Australian ban is a reaction to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to build tools that are appropriate and age appropriate for minors," commented a leading peer.

The US: A State-by-State Picture

Across America, legislation is primarily occurring at the state level due to national stalemate.

• Utah demands parental consent for those under 18 to use social media and limits overnight use.
• Florida has enacted a measure prohibiting under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• The state of Virginia has passed a law restricting teenagers to a single hour of social media use per day, with any further use dependent on a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed measures demanding guardian approval for minors to open social media profiles.

Even with bipartisan support and calls from various politicians to mimic the Australian lead, a US-wide ban is presently seen as unlikely.

International Outlook

Outside of Europe and the US, other nations are likewise taking action.

• Malaysia intends to prohibit social media for those under sixteen beginning next year.
• Brazil has raised the required age for one major platform to 16.

Yet, global agencies take a more nuanced tone. Unicef has cautioned that social media bans carry risks and "might prove counterproductive". The organization notes that social networks can be a "critical link" for isolated youth and that government action should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to improve child safeguards.

Even as this international debate unfolds, the steps of Australia and several other countries show that governments globally are no longer content to stand by for the industry to self-regulate.