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The Australian bold move to prohibit social platforms access for young people below 16 is creating waves internationally. Officials, safety advocates, and families are monitoring intently to see if this strategy will inspire imitation for countries abroad.

European Movement

Throughout Europe, a growing chorus of countries are exploring parallel bans.

• Denmark has announced a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the prime minister declaring that mobile devices and apps are "robbing our kids' childhood". Legislation is expected to be enacted next year.
• Norway is preparing to implement a age restriction of 15, highlighting the need to protect children from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is developing a online verification tool to confirm the age and identity of social media participants. Authorities have suggested that an Australian-model ban remains "a potential tools in reserve".
• In Spain, the prime minister has urged parliament to pass a law increasing the legal age for using social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a legislative committee has recommended a related move, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The administration in The Netherlands has advised parents to block their youngsters from social media before 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has adopted a non-binding statement demanding a ban for under-16s unless parental consent is provided. Even though it cautions of the "compulsive" design of these platforms, the resolution does not establish binding law.

"A clear age barrier is a useful foundation," stated one European lawmaker behind the resolution.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Eye

For the United Kingdom, the administration has kept open a possible ban, emphasizing that "no option is discarded" but insisting any action must be "based on strong evidence".

Previously, momentum built behind a legislative effort to impose restrictions on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end weakened. Nonetheless, the administration vowed to conduct more studies the topic.

Campaign organizations have raised warnings. One foundation set up by the family of a teenager who took her own life after being exposed to harmful platform posts suggests that a strict age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could lead to a "sudden drop-off" of exposure when teens turn 16.

"This ban is a response to the refusal of the social media companies to create products and services that are safe and suitable for young users," commented a influential peer.

America: A State-by-State Landscape

In the United States, regulation is largely happening at the state government level due to national gridlock.

• The state of Utah demands adult approval for those under 18 to use social media and limits overnight use.
• The state of Florida has signed a measure barring those below 14 from accessing social media, though it is entangled in legal challenges.
• Virginia has approved a rule limiting under-16s to 60 minutes of social media time per day, with extra time dependent on a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise enacted laws mandating guardian approval for minors to open social media profiles.

Despite widespread concern and calls from some figures to mimic Australia's example, a federal ban is currently seen as improbable.

International Outlook

Apart from Europe and the US, further states are likewise exploring options.

• Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for under-16s effective next year.
• Brazil has increased the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.

But, global organizations strike a more nuanced stance. A major UN agency has warned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "may even prove counterproductive". The agency highlights that the internet can be a "lifeline" for isolated young people and that government action should not be a "replacement" for tech companies to invest in safety.

Even as this worldwide conversation evolves, the steps of Australia and several other countries show that governments internationally are no longer prepared to delay for platforms to make changes on their own.