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Australia's decisive policy to prohibit social networking access for those under 16 is creating waves around the globe. Lawmakers, child protection groups, and guardians are observing with great interest to see if this strategy will inspire imitation for other nations.

Across Europe Movement

Throughout Europe, a increasing group of states are considering comparable restrictions.

• Denmark has announced a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister arguing that phones and apps are "robbing our kids' innocence". A law may be enacted soon.
• The Norwegian government is preparing to enforce a age restriction of 15, pointing to the need to protect young people from the "influence of the AI".
• Ireland is working on a digital ID system to authenticate the age and identity of social media users. Officials have indicated that an Australia-style ban remains "an options in reserve".
• In The Spanish government, the prime minister has called on parliament to pass a law lifting the minimum age for accessing social media to 16.
• In The French government, the head of state has floated the idea of a ban for under-15s, and a government panel has recommended a similar move, including an overnight "digital curfew" for adolescents.
• The administration in The Netherlands has recommended families to prevent their youngsters from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the EU parliament has passed a non-binding statement demanding a ban for minors except if guardian approval is provided. Even though it cautions of the "habit-forming" design of these apps, the step does not create mandatory rules.

"A clear age restriction is a useful first step," said one European lawmaker driving the resolution.

Britain: A Cautious Stance

For the United Kingdom, the administration has not ruled out a potential ban, arguing that "no measure is discarded" but stressing any action must be "grounded in robust data".

Last year, interest built behind a proposal to impose controls on social media use by minors, but it was in the end modified. However, the administration vowed to conduct more studies the topic.

Advocacy groups have raised warnings. One foundation set up by the relatives of a girl who was lost after viewing dangerous social media material contends that a simple age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of exposure when users turn 16.

"This ban is a answer to the refusal of the tech sector to create products and services that are safe and fit for young users," said a prominent child protection advocate.

America: A Decentralized Picture

Stateside, legislation is primarily happening at the local government level against a backdrop of federal inaction.

• The state of Utah requires guardian permission for those under 18 to use social media and controls late-night use.
• Florida has signed a law prohibiting children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it is subject to constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has passed a rule restricting under-16s to 60 minutes of social media use per day, with extra use requiring adult consent.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have also passed laws mandating guardian approval for minors to set up social media presences.

Even with widespread concern and proposals from some individuals to copy Australia's path, a US-wide ban is currently seen as improbable.

Global Views

Apart from Europe and the US, other countries are similarly taking action.

• Malaysia plans to prohibit social media for teenagers effective next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has increased the required age for one major platform to 16.

However, global bodies strike a more measured tone. Unicef has cautioned that age-based restrictions have downsides and "could prove counterproductive". The organization points out that the internet can be a "critical link" for vulnerable children and that government action should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to prioritize safety.

While this international discussion unfolds, the policies of this nation and its followers show that governments around the world are less and less content to delay for the industry to act voluntarily.