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Australia's decisive policy to ban social networking access for those under 16 is sending ripples internationally. Officials, safety advocates, and guardians are observing intently to see if this approach will become a template for other nations.

European Trend

Throughout Europe, a growing group of countries are exploring parallel measures.

• Denmark has stated a ban on social media for under-15s, with the leader arguing that smartphones and networks are "taking away our children's youth". A law may be passed next year.
• Norway is preparing to introduce a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to safeguard the young from the "influence of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is working on a online verification tool to verify the identity and age of social media participants. Authorities have suggested that an Australian-model ban could be "one of the measures under consideration".
• In The Spanish government, the prime minister has urged the legislature to pass a bill lifting the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the president has proposed a ban for children below 15, and a parliamentary commission has suggested a similar move, potentially involving an overnight "internet blackout" for adolescents.
• The government in the Netherlands has recommended parents to prevent their youngsters from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the European parliament has passed a symbolic motion supporting a ban for minors without a parent decides otherwise is granted. While it cautions of the "compulsive" nature of these services, the step does not establish binding law.

"A strong age limit is a good starting point," commented a leading parliamentarian supporting the measure.

Britain: A Cautious Stance

In the UK, the leadership has not ruled out a future ban, emphasizing that "nothing is discarded" but stressing any action must be "based on strong evidence".

Earlier, support grew behind a proposal to enact limits on social media use by teenagers, but it was eventually weakened. However, the administration vowed to further research the topic.

Campaign organizations have expressed concerns. A prominent charity established by the loved ones of a teenager who died after being exposed to dangerous social media material suggests that a strict age ban may not make platforms safer and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of exposure when young people become eligible.

"This ban is a answer to the inability of the tech sector to design products and services that are secure and suitable for children," said a influential online safety campaigner.

The United States: A State-by-State Landscape

In the United States, action is mostly happening at the regional level due to country-wide gridlock.

• Utah mandates guardian permission for those under 18 to use social media and limits nighttime use.
• Florida has signed a bill banning those below 14 from joining social media, though it is entangled in constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has passed a regulation capping teenagers to a single hour of social media access per day, with additional access requiring parental permission.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly enacted measures mandating adult authorization for minors to open social media accounts.

Even with cross-party agreement and suggestions from certain politicians to copy Australia's lead, a federal ban is presently seen as improbable.

Global Views

Beyond these regions, further states are similarly taking action.

• Malaysia plans to ban social media for teenagers beginning next year.
• Brazil has lifted the required age for one major platform to 16.

Yet, international bodies strike a more nuanced stance. Unicef has warned that age-based restrictions pose dangers and "could have unintended consequences". The organization highlights that the internet can be a "vital connection" for marginalized youth and that regulation should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to invest in user protection.

Even as this worldwide conversation unfolds, the steps of this nation and several other countries show that policymakers internationally are less and less prepared to stand by for platforms to act voluntarily.