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Australia's controversial policy to prohibit social platforms access for individuals under sixteen is sending ripples internationally. Officials, campaigners, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this tactic will become a template for other nations.

European Movement

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

• Denmark has announced a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the PM arguing that smartphones and platforms are "stealing our kids' innocence". A law is expected to be formalized next year.
• The Norwegian government is set to implement a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to protect children from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• Ireland is developing a online verification tool to verify the user details of social media account holders. The media minister have suggested that an Australian-model ban remains "a potential measures on the table".
• In Spain, the leader has called on the legislature to enact a bill lifting the minimum age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has suggested a comparable action, alongside an overnight "digital curfew" for older teenagers.
• The government in The Netherlands has urged parents to restrict their children from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has passed a advisory statement supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 without parental consent is granted. Even though it warns of the "habit-forming" design of these apps, the step does not enact binding law.

"An effective age limit is a solid first step," stated one parliamentarian behind the initiative.

The UK: A Watchful Eye

For the United Kingdom, the administration has not ruled out a possible ban, arguing that "no measure is off the table" but maintaining any action must be "based on conclusive data".

Last year, interest gathered behind a legislative effort to introduce controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was eventually watered down. Nonetheless, the administration pledged to investigate the issue.

Charities have raised apprehensions. An organization founded by the family of a young person who died after encountering dangerous platform posts suggests that a strict age ban could fail to protect children and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of risk when young people become eligible.

"This ban is a answer to the inability of the tech sector to create products and services that are secure and fit for minors," stated a influential child protection advocate.

The US: A State-by-State Landscape

In the United States, legislation is mostly occurring at the state level due to country-wide gridlock.

• Utah requires parental consent for under-18s to use social media and controls late-night use.
• Florida has enacted a measure banning those below 14 from accessing social media, though it is subject to court battles.
• Virginia has passed a law capping teenagers to a single hour of social media access per day, with any further use dependent on adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also enacted laws demanding guardian approval for minors to open social media presences.

Despite widespread concern and suggestions from certain individuals to mimic this lead, a US-wide ban is right now seen as unlikely.

Worldwide Perspectives

Apart from Europe and the US, additional nations are also considering moves.

• Malaysia aims to ban social media for teenagers effective next year.
• Brazil has lifted the required age for the platform Instagram to 16.

But, world organizations strike a more nuanced tone. The UN children's agency has cautioned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "may even have unintended consequences". The organization notes that the internet can be a "critical link" for marginalized young people and that bans should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to prioritize child safeguards.

While this international conversation evolves, the actions of the Australian government and others indicate that policymakers internationally are less and less willing to delay for platforms to self-regulate.