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Australia's controversial action to prohibit social media access for those under 16 is creating waves worldwide. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and parents are monitoring with great interest to see if this strategy will inspire imitation for countries abroad.

The European Movement

In Europe, a increasing number of countries are exploring similar restrictions.

• The Danish government plans a prohibition on social media for children under fifteen, with the prime minister stating that mobile devices and apps are "taking away our children's innocence". The policy may be enacted soon.
• Norway is set to implement a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to shield young people from the "manipulative force of the algorithms".
• Ireland is working on a online verification tool to confirm the user details of social media account holders. The media minister have indicated that an Australia-style ban remains "a potential measures on the table".
• In The Spanish government, the leader has urged lawmakers to approve a bill lifting the legal age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the president has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a legislative committee has suggested a related step, alongside an overnight "internet blackout" for older teenagers.
• The government in the Netherlands has advised parents to restrict their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has passed a symbolic statement calling for a ban for minors unless guardian approval is provided. Although it warns of the "addictive" nature of these apps, the move does not create binding law.

"An effective age restriction is a good first step," said a leading parliamentarian behind the resolution.

Britain: A Watchful Eye

For the United Kingdom, the government has not ruled out a possible ban, stating that "no option is being dismissed" but maintaining any action must be "grounded in strong data".

Previously, momentum gathered behind a bill to impose restrictions on social media use by teenagers, but it was eventually modified. Instead, the government committed to investigate the topic.

Advocacy groups have raised concerns. One foundation founded by the family of a young person who took her own life after encountering harmful social media material contends that a strict age ban might not improve online safety and could lead to a "cliff edge" of harm when young people become eligible.

"Australia's ban is a response to the failure of the Silicon Valley to create tools that are secure and age appropriate for young users," stated a leading online safety campaigner.

America: A Fragmented Landscape

Stateside, regulation is mostly happening at the regional government level amid federal stalemate.

• Utah requires adult approval for minors to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
• Florida has passed a measure banning children under fourteen from creating accounts on social media, though it faces court battles.
• Virginia has passed a regulation limiting under-16s to one hour of social media access per day, with additional time dependent on a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly introduced measures demanding guardian approval for minors to set up social media presences.

Even with widespread concern and proposals from some figures to follow the Australian path, a US-wide ban is presently seen as a distant prospect.

Global Outlook

Outside of the West, other nations are likewise taking action.

• Malaysia plans to ban social media for under-16s effective next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has lifted the required age for one major platform to 16.

However, global bodies strike a more measured position. A major UN agency has cautioned that social media bans pose dangers and "might backfire". The body highlights that social networks can be a "lifeline" for isolated children and that regulation should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to improve child safeguards.

As this global debate continues, the policies of Australia and others indicate that states internationally are no longer prepared to stand by for tech companies to make changes on their own.