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The nation's bold action to prohibit social networking access for young people below 16 is creating waves internationally. Officials, safety advocates, and families are watching intently to see if this approach will set a precedent for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Movement

In Europe, a growing group of states are moving toward comparable measures.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for youth below 15, with the PM arguing that mobile devices and apps are "taking away our kids' innocence". Legislation is expected to be enacted soon.
• Norway is set to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to protect young people from the "influence of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is developing a online verification tool to confirm the identity and age of social media users. Officials have indicated that an similar ban is "a potential tools under consideration".
• In Spain, the prime minister has urged lawmakers to pass a law lifting the minimum 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 endorsed a similar move, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for adolescents.
• The administration in the Netherlands has urged families to prevent their youngsters from social media before 15.

Across the European Union, the EU parliament has passed a non-binding statement demanding a ban for teenagers under 16 except if a parent decides otherwise is provided. Even though it cautions of the "habit-forming" nature of these apps, the move does not create binding law.

"A clear age restriction is a useful foundation," said a leading parliamentarian supporting the resolution.

The United Kingdom: A Watchful Eye

Across Britain, the government has not ruled out a potential ban, emphasizing that "nothing is off the table" but maintaining any policy must be "supported by strong data".

Earlier, momentum built behind a bill to enact controls on social media use by minors, but it was eventually watered down. Instead, the administration pledged to conduct more studies the matter.

Charities have voiced apprehensions. A prominent charity set up by the family of a girl who was lost after viewing dangerous social media material suggests that a simple age ban might not make platforms safer and could result in a "dangerous transition" of exposure when teens become eligible.

"Australia's ban is a reaction to the inability of the social media companies to create platforms and apps that are appropriate and fit for minors," said a prominent online safety campaigner.

America: A State-by-State Landscape

In the United States, action is primarily happening at the local level amid federal stalemate.

• The state of Utah demands guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
• Florida has passed a measure barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• Virginia has enacted a regulation capping under-16s to a single hour of social media access per day, with any further use needing a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly passed laws requiring adult authorization for minors to open social media profiles.

Even with cross-party agreement and suggestions from some figures to follow this path, a federal ban is presently seen as a distant prospect.

Global Outlook

Apart from the West, further countries are also exploring options.

• Malaysia aims to prohibit social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• Brazil has increased the minimum age for one major platform to 16.

But, world bodies take a more nuanced tone. Unicef has warned that social media bans carry risks and "may even have unintended consequences". The agency highlights that the internet can be a "critical link" for marginalized children and that government action should not be a "excuse" for platform operators to improve safety.

While this worldwide discussion evolves, the policies of the Australian government and several other countries indicate that governments around the world are no longer prepared to stand by for platforms to self-regulate.