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The Australian bold move to prohibit social networking access for young people below 16 is creating waves internationally. Lawmakers, campaigners, and families are watching with great interest to see if this tactic will set a precedent for other nations.

European Trend

Throughout Europe, a rising number of states are moving toward similar bans.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the PM declaring that smartphones and platforms are "stealing our youngsters' innocence". The policy may be passed next year.
• Norway is planning to implement a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to shield children from the "influence of the AI".
• Ireland is developing a online verification tool to verify the user details of social media account holders. The media minister have stated that an similar ban could be "a potential measures on the table".
• In Spain, the prime minister has called on parliament to enact a bill increasing the access age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has floated the idea of a ban for under-15s, and a legislative committee has suggested a similar action, alongside an overnight "digital curfew" for adolescents.
• The government in the Netherlands has urged guardians to restrict their kids from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has passed a symbolic statement demanding a ban for teenagers under 16 without a parent decides otherwise is granted. Even though it cautions of the "compulsive" nature of these platforms, the move does not establish binding law.

"An effective age restriction is a solid foundation," commented the European lawmaker driving the initiative.

Britain: A Cautious Eye

In the UK, the administration has not ruled out a possible ban, stating that "no option is off the table" but maintaining any decision must be "supported by conclusive data".

Previously, interest gathered behind a legislative effort to introduce restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was in the end weakened. Nonetheless, the government vowed to further research the topic.

Advocacy groups have voiced apprehensions. One foundation set up by the relatives of a young person who was lost after viewing disturbing social media material contends that a strict age ban could fail to protect children and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of exposure when young people become eligible.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the failure of the Silicon Valley to build tools that are appropriate and suitable for minors," said a leading online safety campaigner.

The US: A State-by-State Landscape

Across America, regulation is largely unfolding at the local government level due to country-wide stalemate.

• Utah requires parental consent for those under 18 to use social media and controls nighttime use.
• The state of Florida has enacted a law barring those below 14 from joining social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• Virginia has approved a rule capping teenagers to 60 minutes of social media use per day, with additional time needing a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have also passed bills requiring adult authorization for under-16s to create social media profiles.

Despite bipartisan support and suggestions from some figures to copy the Australian example, a US-wide ban is presently seen as a distant prospect.

Worldwide Views

Apart from these regions, other states are similarly taking action.

• Malaysia intends to prohibit social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• Brazil has increased the minimum age for one major platform to 16.

But, international bodies strike a more nuanced position. The UN children's agency has cautioned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "could prove counterproductive". The organization highlights that the internet can be a "vital connection" for marginalized youth and that regulation should not be a "replacement" for tech companies to invest in child safeguards.

As this global discussion continues, the steps of Australia and others show that policymakers around the world are increasingly willing to wait for the industry to make changes on their own.