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Australia's controversial move to ban social platforms access for young people below 16 is sending ripples around the globe. Officials, safety advocates, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for other nations.

The European Momentum

In Europe, a growing number of nations are exploring parallel bans.

• Denmark has announced a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the PM arguing that smartphones and networks are "robbing our youngsters' innocence". A law may be passed in the coming year.
• Norway is preparing to enforce a age restriction of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard children from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is developing a online verification tool to authenticate the identity and age of social media participants. The media minister have stated that an Australian-model ban is "an options on the table".
• In Spain, the president has asked the legislature to pass a law lifting the legal age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the president has proposed a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has suggested a similar move, including an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The government in the Netherlands has recommended guardians to block their children from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has adopted a non-binding motion supporting a ban for under-16s unless guardian approval is given. While it warns of the "habit-forming" nature of these services, the move does not establish mandatory rules.

"An effective age barrier is a good starting point," said one MEP behind the measure.

The UK: An Evidence-Based Stance

For the United Kingdom, the government has kept open a future ban, emphasizing that "no option is discarded" but insisting any decision must be "based on strong research".

Previously, momentum built behind a legislative effort to impose controls on social media use by minors, but it was eventually modified. Nonetheless, the administration vowed to conduct more studies the issue.

Advocacy groups have raised warnings. An organization set up by the family of a teenager who was lost after encountering dangerous online content argues that a simple age ban may not improve online safety and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of harm when young people reach the legal age.

"Australia's ban is a reaction to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to build platforms and apps that are secure and fit for children," said a leading child protection advocate.

The United States: A Fragmented Landscape

Stateside, action is mostly unfolding at the local level amid country-wide stalemate.

• Utah requires adult approval for minors to use social media and restricts late-night use.
• Florida has passed a measure barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is entangled in court battles.
• The state of Virginia has enacted a regulation limiting teenagers to 60 minutes of social media time per day, with extra use needing a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have also passed measures requiring parental consent for minors to set up social media presences.

Even with cross-party agreement and calls from certain politicians to mimic this lead, a federal ban is right now seen as improbable.

Worldwide Views

Apart from Europe and the US, other nations are also considering moves.

• Malaysia plans to ban social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• Brazil has increased the minimum age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, international organizations take a more nuanced tone. The UN children's agency has warned that blanket prohibitions pose dangers and "might have unintended consequences". The organization points out that online platforms can be a "critical link" for marginalized young people and that government action should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to prioritize child safeguards.

As this worldwide debate evolves, the policies of the Australian government and others demonstrate that governments globally are no longer prepared to wait for platforms to make changes on their own.