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The nation's bold action to ban social media access for those under 16 is creating waves around the globe. Officials, safety advocates, and families are observing intently to see if this strategy will become a template for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Momentum

In Europe, a rising chorus of states are exploring comparable restrictions.

• Denmark has announced a ban on social media for under-15s, with the PM arguing that phones and apps are "stealing our youngsters' childhood". The policy is expected to be formalized in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to introduce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to protect children from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• The Irish government is introducing a online verification tool to authenticate the identity and age of social media participants. Authorities have stated that an similar ban is "a potential tools on the table".
• In The Spanish government, the president has asked parliament to approve a bill raising the minimum age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has floated the idea of a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has suggested a similar step, alongside an overnight "digital curfew" for older teenagers.
• The government in The Dutch government has advised families to block their kids from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the EU parliament has approved a advisory resolution demanding a ban for teenagers under 16 except if parental consent is given. While it highlights of the "compulsive" design of these apps, the step does not establish binding law.

"A strong age limit is a useful foundation," stated one European lawmaker behind the measure.

Britain: A Cautious Approach

In the UK, the administration has remained open to a potential ban, emphasizing that "no measure is off the table" but stressing any decision must be "supported by robust research".

Previously, momentum grew behind a legislative effort to introduce controls on social media use by teenagers, but it was ultimately modified. Nonetheless, the administration committed to conduct more studies the issue.

Advocacy groups have voiced warnings. A prominent charity established by the family of a girl who was lost after being exposed to dangerous social media material contends that a simple age ban could fail to protect children and could lead to a "cliff edge" of risk when users become eligible.

"The Australian ban is a response to the failure of the Silicon Valley to build tools that are secure and suitable for children," stated a influential child protection advocate.

America: A Fragmented Approach

Stateside, regulation is mostly happening at the local level due to country-wide inaction.

• Utah mandates parental consent for minors to use social media and controls overnight use.
• Florida has enacted a bill barring under-14s from accessing social media, though it is entangled in constitutional disputes.
• The state of Virginia has passed a law restricting teenagers to a single hour of social media access per day, with extra use dependent on parental permission.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also passed bills demanding adult authorization for under-16s to create social media profiles.

Despite cross-party agreement and suggestions from various figures to copy this lead, a federal ban is currently seen as unlikely.

International Perspectives

Outside of Europe and the US, additional states are also taking action.

• Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for those under sixteen starting from next year.
• Brazil has raised the required age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, world agencies strike a more measured position. Unicef has warned that blanket prohibitions have downsides and "may even have unintended consequences". The agency points out that online platforms can be a "critical link" for marginalized youth and that regulation should not be a "replacement" for social media firms to invest in child safeguards.

While this global discussion continues, the actions of Australia and several other countries demonstrate that policymakers around the world are increasingly content to delay for tech companies to act voluntarily.