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The Australian decisive action to ban social media access for young people below 16 is sending ripples worldwide. Politicians, safety advocates, and parents are monitoring intently to see if this tactic will set a precedent for other nations.

Across Europe Movement

In Europe, a rising chorus of countries are considering comparable measures.

• Denmark has announced a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the PM declaring that phones and platforms are "stealing our youngsters' youth". The policy may be formalized next year.
• Norway is planning to implement a access barrier of 15, citing the need to safeguard the young from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is working on a digital ID system to verify the identity and age of social media account holders. Authorities have indicated that an Australia-style ban remains "a potential tools in reserve".
• In Spain, the leader has urged lawmakers to pass a law raising the legal age for using social media to 16.
• In The French government, the president has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a legislative committee has endorsed a comparable step, including an overnight "digital curfew" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in The Dutch government has advised families to block their youngsters from social media before 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has adopted a symbolic statement calling for a ban for under-16s unless a parent decides otherwise is granted. Although it highlights of the "compulsive" quality of these platforms, the resolution does not enact mandatory rules.

"An effective age restriction is a useful starting point," commented a leading European lawmaker driving the resolution.

Britain: A Watchful Approach

Across Britain, the administration has not ruled out a potential ban, emphasizing that "nothing is being dismissed" but insisting any decision must be "based on conclusive data".

Last year, support built behind a legislative effort to enact limits on social media use by teenagers, but it was in the end weakened. Instead, the government committed to investigate the issue.

Charities have raised warnings. A prominent charity set up by the loved ones of a teenager who was lost after viewing disturbing social media material argues that a strict age ban may not protect children and could result in a "dangerous transition" of exposure when teens turn 16.

"The Australian ban is a response to the failure of the tech sector to build platforms and apps that are safe and suitable for children," said a leading peer.

The US: A Fragmented Approach

Across America, action is primarily occurring at the state level against a backdrop of national inaction.

• The state of Utah requires guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and controls late-night use.
• Florida has passed a measure banning under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• Virginia has enacted a rule limiting under-16s to a single hour of social media use per day, with additional access requiring a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly passed laws requiring parental consent for under-16s to create social media profiles.

Despite cross-party agreement and suggestions from some individuals to mimic this path, a US-wide ban is currently seen as improbable.

International Outlook

Beyond the West, other states are likewise considering moves.

• Malaysia aims to ban social media for teenagers effective next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has lifted the required age for Instagram to 16.

But, world organizations adopt a more measured stance. The UN children's agency has cautioned that social media bans have downsides and "might backfire". The agency highlights that the internet can be a "lifeline" for isolated young people and that bans should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to invest in user protection.

Even as this global conversation unfolds, the steps of Australia and others demonstrate that states around the world are less and less prepared to delay for tech companies to self-regulate.