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Australia's decisive action to ban social platforms access for young people below 16 is creating waves worldwide. Officials, safety advocates, and families are watching closely to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for countries abroad.

The European Momentum

Throughout Europe, a rising chorus of states are exploring comparable bans.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister arguing that smartphones and platforms are "stealing our children's youth". Legislation could be formalized soon.
• Norway is preparing to enforce a access barrier of 15, citing the need to protect young people from the "power of the algorithms".
• Ireland is introducing a digital ID system to confirm the identity and age of social media account holders. Authorities have indicated that an Australian-model ban is "one of the tools in reserve".
• In Spain, the prime minister has called on lawmakers to approve a proposal lifting the legal age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the president has floated the idea of a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a comparable step, including an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in The Netherlands has urged families to block their children from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has passed a advisory resolution demanding a ban for minors without guardian approval is provided. While it warns of the "addictive" nature of these services, the step does not establish mandatory rules.

"A strong age limit is a solid first step," said a leading European lawmaker behind the initiative.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Approach

For the United Kingdom, the government has kept open a possible ban, stating that "no option is off the table" but stressing any policy must be "supported by robust evidence".

Earlier, support built behind a legislative effort to introduce controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end weakened. Instead, the administration vowed to further research the issue.

Campaign organizations have expressed apprehensions. One foundation founded by the relatives of a teenager who took her own life after viewing harmful online content suggests that a simple age ban may not improve online safety and could result in a "dangerous transition" of risk when users become eligible.

"Australia's ban is a response to the inability of the tech sector to create tools that are safe and suitable for young users," said a prominent peer.

America: A Decentralized Landscape

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

• Utah requires guardian permission for minors to use social media and limits overnight use.
• Florida has signed a measure banning those below 14 from joining social media, though it is subject to court battles.
• Virginia has passed a regulation limiting under-16s to 60 minutes of social media use per day, with extra access requiring adult consent.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also introduced laws demanding adult authorization for under-16s to set up social media profiles.

Even with bipartisan support and calls from certain figures to follow the Australian example, a federal ban is right now seen as improbable.

Worldwide Outlook

Beyond the West, other nations are likewise considering moves.

• Malaysia aims to ban social media for under-16s starting from next year.
• Brazil has increased the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.

Yet, international agencies take a more measured stance. A major UN agency has warned that blanket prohibitions have downsides and "could have unintended consequences". The body highlights that online platforms can be a "critical link" for vulnerable young people and that bans should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to improve safety.

As this worldwide debate unfolds, the steps of the Australian government and several other countries show that policymakers globally are increasingly willing to stand by for platforms to act voluntarily.