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The nation's decisive policy to restrict social networking access for young people below 16 is creating waves around the globe. Politicians, child protection groups, and parents are observing with great interest to see if this tactic will set a precedent for the rest of the world.

European Trend

In Europe, a rising number of nations are considering parallel bans.

• Denmark has stated a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the prime minister stating that phones and networks are "stealing our youngsters' youth". Legislation may be formalized next year.
• The Norwegian government is planning to implement a access barrier of 15, citing the need to protect children from the "influence of the AI".
• The Irish government is developing a digital wallet to verify the age and identity of social media account holders. The media minister have stated that an similar ban remains "an tools under consideration".
• In The Spanish government, the president has urged parliament to approve a law lifting the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a parliamentary commission has suggested a comparable action, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for older teenagers.
• The government in The Dutch government has recommended guardians to prevent their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the European parliament has adopted a symbolic resolution calling for a ban for minors unless guardian approval is given. Even though it warns of the "compulsive" nature of these services, the step does not enact mandatory rules.

"An effective age limit is a good foundation," said a leading MEP behind the initiative.

Britain: A Watchful Stance

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has not ruled out a future ban, emphasizing that "nothing is being dismissed" but maintaining any decision must be "based on robust research".

Earlier, interest built behind a legislative effort to enact controls on social media use by minors, but it was eventually weakened. Nonetheless, the government vowed to conduct more studies the matter.

Campaign organizations have voiced apprehensions. An organization founded by the family of a teenager who died after encountering disturbing social media material argues that a strict age ban might not protect children and could create a "sudden drop-off" of harm when young people become eligible.

"This ban is a reaction to the inability of the Silicon Valley to design platforms and apps that are appropriate and age appropriate for young users," commented a leading online safety campaigner.

America: A Decentralized Landscape

In the United States, legislation is primarily unfolding at the state level due to federal inaction.

• Utah demands adult approval for minors to use social media and controls late-night use.
• Florida has enacted a law prohibiting children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it is entangled in constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has passed a regulation limiting under-16s to one hour of social media use per day, with any further use dependent on adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly introduced laws demanding guardian approval for teenagers to create social media accounts.

Despite bipartisan support and suggestions from certain individuals to follow the Australian path, a US-wide ban is right now seen as improbable.

Global Outlook

Beyond these regions, other countries are likewise exploring options.

• The Malaysian government intends to prohibit social media for teenagers beginning next year.
• Brazil has lifted the minimum age for the platform Instagram to 16.

Yet, global organizations strike a more nuanced tone. A major UN agency has advised that age-based restrictions have downsides and "could backfire". The organization highlights that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for isolated children and that government action should not be a "replacement" for social media firms to improve safety.

As this worldwide conversation unfolds, the steps of Australia and others show that states around the world are less and less content to stand by for the industry to make changes on their own.