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The Australian decisive move to ban social platforms access for young people below 16 is sparking debate worldwide. Politicians, child protection groups, and families are monitoring intently to see if this tactic will become a template for countries abroad.

European Trend

Throughout Europe, a rising number of countries are considering similar measures.

• Denmark has announced a restriction on social media for youth below 15, with the PM declaring that phones and networks are "stealing our kids' innocence". A law could be formalized soon.
• The Norwegian government is planning to introduce a age restriction of 15, highlighting the need to protect children from the "manipulative force of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is developing a digital ID system to confirm the identity and age of social media account holders. Officials have suggested that an similar ban remains "a potential options under consideration".
• In Spain, the prime minister has asked the legislature to enact a proposal increasing the minimum age for joining social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a government panel has suggested a comparable move, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in The Dutch government has urged parents to restrict their kids from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the EU parliament has passed a symbolic statement demanding a ban for minors except if a parent decides otherwise is provided. While it warns of the "compulsive" design of these platforms, the resolution does not establish mandatory rules.

"A strong age limit is a good first step," commented a leading European lawmaker behind the measure.

Britain: A Cautious Stance

Across Britain, the leadership has remained open to a possible ban, arguing that "no option is discarded" but stressing any action must be "based on conclusive research".

Last year, interest gathered behind a bill to enact limits on social media use by under-16s, but it was eventually weakened. Nonetheless, the government vowed to investigate the issue.

Campaign organizations have expressed apprehensions. A prominent charity founded by the family of a young person who took her own life after being exposed to harmful platform posts suggests that a strict age ban may not protect children and could result in a "cliff edge" of exposure when users become eligible.

"This ban is a answer to the failure of the Silicon Valley to create platforms and apps that are appropriate and suitable for children," said a leading child protection advocate.

America: A Decentralized Picture

Stateside, regulation is primarily occurring at the local level due to national inaction.

• Utah mandates adult approval for those under 18 to use social media and limits nighttime use.
• The state of Florida has enacted a measure barring children under fourteen from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has approved a rule capping minors to 60 minutes of social media time per day, with any further time needing adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also introduced bills demanding adult authorization for teenagers to open social media profiles.

Even with bipartisan support and proposals from some politicians to copy Australia's path, a federal ban is currently seen as improbable.

Worldwide Outlook

Outside of the West, other countries are likewise taking action.

• Malaysia aims to restrict social media for under-16s starting from next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has lifted the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.

But, global bodies strike a more cautious tone. Unicef has cautioned that age-based restrictions pose dangers and "may even backfire". The agency points out that online platforms can be a "critical link" for vulnerable children and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to improve safety.

Even as this worldwide discussion unfolds, the actions of this nation and others demonstrate that governments globally are increasingly willing to delay for tech companies to self-regulate.