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Australia's bold action to ban social networking access for individuals under sixteen is sending ripples around the globe. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and guardians are monitoring intently to see if this approach will become a template for the rest of the world.

European Momentum

Throughout Europe, a growing chorus of countries are considering similar bans.

• Denmark has stated a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the PM declaring that phones and apps are "stealing our children's childhood". A law may be enacted in the coming year.
• Norway is planning to introduce a access barrier of 15, highlighting the need to protect children from the "influence of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is developing a online verification tool to authenticate the age and identity of social media users. Authorities have indicated that an Australian-model ban is "one of the measures in reserve".
• In The Spanish government, the president has asked the legislature to approve a bill raising the legal age for using social media to 16.
• In France, the president has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a government panel has endorsed a similar action, including an overnight "internet blackout" for older teenagers.
• The government in The Dutch government has recommended guardians to prevent their children from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has approved a advisory resolution supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 except if guardian approval is given. While it highlights of the "addictive" quality of these platforms, the move does not create binding law.

"A clear age restriction is a good starting point," said one European lawmaker behind the resolution.

The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Eye

Across Britain, the administration has remained open to a possible ban, emphasizing that "no measure is off the table" but insisting any policy must be "grounded in strong data".

Previously, interest gathered behind a bill to impose controls on social media use by minors, but it was in the end modified. Nonetheless, the administration pledged to further research the matter.

Advocacy groups have raised warnings. An organization set up by the family of a teenager who died after viewing harmful social media material suggests that a simple age ban may not make platforms safer and could create a "dangerous transition" of exposure when young people reach the legal age.

"This ban is a answer to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to build tools that are appropriate and age appropriate for children," said a leading online safety campaigner.

The US: A State-by-State Approach

In the United States, legislation is largely occurring at the regional level amid federal stalemate.

• Utah demands adult approval for under-18s to use social media and controls late-night use.
• Florida has passed a bill banning under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is entangled in legal challenges.
• Virginia has passed a law limiting under-16s to a single hour of social media use per day, with extra time needing a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have also enacted bills mandating adult authorization for under-16s to set up social media presences.

Despite bipartisan support and calls from various politicians to copy the Australian lead, a federal ban is presently seen as improbable.

Global Views

Outside of Europe and the US, further nations are similarly considering moves.

• The Malaysian government intends to ban social media for those under sixteen starting from next year.
• Brazil has raised the access age for Instagram to 16.

Yet, global organizations adopt a more cautious position. Unicef has warned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "could backfire". The agency highlights that online platforms can be a "vital connection" for vulnerable youth and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to invest in safety.

As this international discussion continues, the policies of this nation and several other countries demonstrate that governments globally are less and less willing to delay for platforms to make changes on their own.