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The Australian controversial move to prohibit social platforms access for young people below 16 is sparking debate internationally. Politicians, child protection groups, and parents are watching with great interest to see if this strategy will set a precedent for other nations.

European Momentum

Across Europe, a growing chorus of countries are considering comparable measures.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for youth below 15, with the leader stating that phones and platforms are "stealing our youngsters' innocence". A law is expected to be formalized next year.
• Norway is planning to introduce a access barrier of 15, highlighting the need to protect children from the "influence of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is introducing a online verification tool to verify the identity and age of social media participants. Authorities have indicated that an Australia-style ban remains "an tools under consideration".
• In The Spanish government, the prime minister has urged parliament to approve a proposal lifting the legal age for using social media to 16.
• In France, the president has floated the idea of a ban for those under fifteen, and a legislative committee has recommended a comparable step, alongside an overnight "digital curfew" for adolescents.
• The authorities in the Netherlands has advised families to restrict their children from social media before 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has adopted a advisory resolution supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 without parental consent is provided. Although it warns of the "compulsive" design of these platforms, the step does not enact enforceable legislation.

"An effective age limit is a useful foundation," said the parliamentarian behind the initiative.

The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Eye

In the UK, the administration has remained open to a future ban, stating that "nothing is discarded" but stressing any decision must be "supported by strong research".

Earlier, momentum gathered behind a bill to enact controls on social media use by teenagers, but it was in the end weakened. Nonetheless, the government pledged to investigate the issue.

Campaign organizations have raised apprehensions. One foundation founded by the relatives of a young person who was lost after viewing harmful online content suggests that a strict age ban might not make platforms safer and could lead to a "dangerous transition" of risk when young people turn 16.

"This ban is a reaction to the refusal of the social media companies to build platforms and apps that are safe and suitable for children," stated a influential child protection advocate.

America: A State-by-State Landscape

Stateside, action is largely happening at the state level due to country-wide inaction.

• The state of Utah mandates parental consent for under-18s to use social media and limits overnight use.
• Florida has enacted a measure banning those below 14 from accessing social media, though it is entangled in constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has enacted a regulation capping minors to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with any further access requiring adult consent.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly passed bills requiring guardian approval for minors to set up social media profiles.

Despite cross-party agreement and suggestions from certain individuals to copy the Australian path, a federal ban is currently seen as unlikely.

International Views

Beyond these regions, other states are similarly taking action.

• Malaysia aims to restrict social media for teenagers beginning next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has increased the required age for Instagram to 16.

But, world agencies adopt a more nuanced tone. A major UN agency has warned that social media bans pose dangers and "could backfire". The organization notes that online platforms can be a "vital connection" for marginalized young people and that bans should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to improve user protection.

While this international discussion continues, the steps of this nation and its followers show that governments around the world are no longer prepared to wait for the industry to make changes on their own.