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Australia's controversial move to restrict social networking access for those under 16 is creating waves around the globe. Lawmakers, campaigners, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

European Trend

In Europe, a growing group of countries are considering similar restrictions.

• The Danish government has announced a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the leader declaring that smartphones and platforms are "stealing our children's childhood". The policy could be enacted soon.
• The Norwegian government is set to introduce a age restriction of 15, pointing to the need to protect the young from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is working on a digital wallet to verify the user details of social media participants. Officials have suggested that an similar ban is "an tools on the table".
• In Spain, the prime minister has urged lawmakers to enact a bill increasing the access age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has proposed a ban for those under fifteen, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a comparable action, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for adolescents.
• The administration in The Dutch government has advised parents to restrict their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has adopted a advisory statement supporting a ban for under-16s without a parent decides otherwise is provided. Although it warns of the "addictive" quality of these apps, the resolution does not enact binding law.

"A clear age restriction is a solid starting point," said the MEP driving the resolution.

The UK: A Cautious Approach

Across Britain, the leadership has remained open to a possible ban, emphasizing that "nothing is being dismissed" but stressing any action must be "supported by strong research".

Previously, interest gathered behind a legislative effort to enact restrictions on social media use by minors, but it was eventually modified. Nonetheless, the government pledged to further research the matter.

Advocacy groups have expressed apprehensions. An organization set up by the loved ones of a girl who died after encountering harmful social media material suggests that a strict age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could create a "dangerous transition" of exposure when young people reach the legal age.

"The Australian ban is a response to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to build tools that are secure and suitable for young users," commented a leading child protection advocate.

America: A Fragmented Picture

Stateside, legislation is largely occurring at the regional government level amid country-wide inaction.

• Utah mandates guardian permission for minors to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
• Florida has passed a law barring under-14s from joining social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• Virginia has approved a regulation restricting teenagers to a single hour of social media access per day, with extra time needing a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly enacted measures mandating adult authorization for teenagers to open social media accounts.

Despite cross-party agreement and suggestions from some figures to mimic the Australian example, a US-wide ban is right now seen as improbable.

International Views

Outside of the West, other countries are likewise considering moves.

• The Malaysian government plans to prohibit social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• Brazil has raised the minimum age for Instagram to 16.

Yet, global bodies take a more cautious tone. Unicef has advised that social media bans pose dangers and "could prove counterproductive". The organization points out that online platforms can be a "vital connection" for vulnerable children and that government action should not be a "replacement" for social media firms to improve user protection.

While this global debate unfolds, the actions of this nation and its followers show that states internationally are less and less willing to wait for the industry to self-regulate.