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The Australian controversial move to restrict social networking access for individuals under sixteen is sparking debate internationally. Officials, safety advocates, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this approach will become a template for countries abroad.

European Momentum

In Europe, a increasing chorus of states are exploring similar bans.

• The Danish government has stated a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the PM declaring that smartphones and networks are "robbing our youngsters' innocence". Legislation is expected to be passed in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to implement a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard the young from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is working on a online verification tool to authenticate the user details of social media account holders. The media minister have suggested that an Australia-style ban remains "one of the measures on the table".
• In The Spanish government, the president has urged parliament to pass a proposal lifting the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In The French government, the head of state has threatened a ban for children below 15, and a parliamentary commission has recommended a similar action, including an overnight "digital curfew" for adolescents.
• The administration in The Netherlands has urged families to block their youngsters from social media before 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has approved a non-binding statement supporting a ban for under-16s except if guardian approval is provided. Even though it highlights of the "habit-forming" quality of these platforms, the step does not establish enforceable legislation.

"A strong age limit is a useful starting point," said one MEP supporting the measure.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Eye

In the UK, the administration has kept open a future ban, stating that "no measure is discarded" but maintaining any action must be "grounded in robust evidence".

Previously, support built behind a legislative effort to enact restrictions on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end watered down. Nonetheless, the government vowed to further research the matter.

Advocacy groups have raised apprehensions. An organization founded by the loved ones of a girl who was lost after viewing harmful platform posts contends that a simple age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could create a "dangerous transition" of risk when users reach the legal age.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the refusal of the social media companies to design platforms and apps that are safe and suitable for children," stated a influential child protection advocate.

America: A State-by-State Approach

In the United States, regulation is mostly occurring at the state level due to national gridlock.

• The state of Utah mandates parental consent for minors to use social media and controls late-night use.
• The state of Florida has enacted a measure prohibiting those below 14 from joining social media, though it is entangled in court battles.
• The state of Virginia has approved a law capping under-16s to a single hour of social media use per day, with additional use requiring parental permission.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly passed laws demanding guardian approval for minors to open social media accounts.

Even with bipartisan support and calls from various individuals to mimic this lead, a federal ban is right now seen as unlikely.

International Outlook

Beyond the West, additional states are likewise taking action.

• Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for under-16s effective next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has raised the minimum age for Instagram to 16.

However, international organizations strike a more measured tone. The UN children's agency has cautioned that social media bans pose dangers and "may even prove counterproductive". The organization highlights that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for marginalized youth and that regulation should not be a "replacement" for social media firms to invest in safety.

While this international conversation evolves, the steps of the Australian government and its followers show that governments globally are increasingly prepared to wait for the industry to make changes on their own.