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The Australian controversial policy to ban social platforms access for individuals under sixteen is sending ripples worldwide. Politicians, campaigners, and families are watching with great interest to see if this approach will inspire imitation for other nations.

Across Europe Trend

Across Europe, a rising number of countries are moving toward parallel measures.

• The Danish government plans a ban on social media for under-15s, with the prime minister stating that mobile devices and platforms are "robbing our youngsters' youth". The policy could be formalized soon.
• Norway is preparing to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard young people from the "manipulative force of the recommendation systems".
• The Irish government is developing a online verification tool to verify the identity and age of social media participants. The media minister have suggested that an Australian-model ban remains "an options on the table".
• In The Spanish government, the leader has asked lawmakers to pass a law increasing the access age for using social media to 16.
• In France, the president has proposed a ban for those under fifteen, and a parliamentary commission has suggested a comparable step, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for older teenagers.
• The administration in the Netherlands has recommended families to prevent their children from social media before 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has approved a advisory resolution calling for a ban for teenagers under 16 without parental consent is given. Although it highlights of the "addictive" design of these platforms, the resolution does not enact binding law.

"A clear age limit is a solid starting point," commented one MEP behind the resolution.

Britain: A Watchful Eye

In the UK, the government has kept open a future ban, emphasizing that "nothing is off the table" but insisting any decision must be "grounded in strong evidence".

Previously, interest gathered behind a legislative effort to introduce controls on social media use by teenagers, but it was eventually weakened. Nonetheless, the government vowed to investigate the topic.

Charities have expressed apprehensions. A prominent charity established by the relatives of a young person who was lost after encountering harmful platform posts argues that a simple age ban may not improve online safety and could create a "cliff edge" of exposure when teens reach the legal age.

"The Australian ban is a answer to the inability of the social media companies to build platforms and apps that are secure and suitable for young users," stated a influential online safety campaigner.

The United States: A State-by-State Approach

Across America, legislation is largely unfolding at the local level due to national gridlock.

• Utah mandates adult approval for those under 18 to use social media and limits nighttime use.
• Florida has passed a bill prohibiting those below 14 from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• Virginia has approved a law limiting under-16s to a single hour of social media use per day, with extra access requiring parental permission.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise enacted laws demanding adult authorization for minors to create social media accounts.

Despite bipartisan support and proposals from certain individuals to copy this path, a federal ban is presently seen as a distant prospect.

Worldwide Outlook

Outside of Europe and the US, other countries are likewise taking action.

• The Malaysian government plans to prohibit social media for under-16s effective next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has lifted the access age for Instagram to 16.

However, global bodies strike a more nuanced tone. The UN children's agency has cautioned that social media bans have downsides and "might prove counterproductive". The agency highlights that the internet can be a "critical link" for vulnerable young people and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for tech companies to improve child safeguards.

As this international conversation continues, the steps of Australia and several other countries indicate that states around the world are less and less willing to delay for tech companies to make changes on their own.