đź”— Share this article Might Additional Nations Pursue Australia's in Prohibiting Social Media for Under-16s? The Australian decisive policy to ban social networking access for young people below 16 is creating waves internationally. Politicians, campaigners, and parents are watching closely to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for countries abroad. European Momentum In Europe, a increasing number of states are considering similar measures. Denmark has announced a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the leader stating that smartphones and platforms are "taking away our kids' childhood". A law could be passed next year. The Norwegian government is preparing to enforce a access barrier of 15, highlighting the need to protect young people from the "manipulative force of the algorithms". The Irish government is developing a digital wallet to verify the identity and age of social media participants. Officials have indicated that an Australia-style ban remains "one of the options in reserve". In Spain, the president has asked lawmakers to pass a bill raising the access age for using social media to 16. In The French government, the president has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a parliamentary commission has recommended a comparable move, including an overnight "digital curfew" for 15- to 18-year-olds. The government in the Netherlands has recommended guardians to restrict their children from social media before 15. At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has passed a symbolic motion demanding a ban for minors unless parental consent is given. While it warns of the "compulsive" nature of these platforms, the move does not enact binding law. "A strong age barrier is a good first step," said the European lawmaker supporting the measure. The United Kingdom: A Watchful Approach In the UK, the leadership has remained open to a possible ban, arguing that "nothing is off the table" but insisting any action must be "grounded in strong data". Previously, interest grew behind a legislative effort to enact restrictions on social media use by under-16s, but it was eventually watered down. Instead, the administration committed to further research the issue. Campaign organizations have expressed concerns. One foundation established by the family of a teenager who died after encountering disturbing platform posts contends that a blanket age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could create a "cliff edge" of harm when young people reach the legal age. "The Australian ban is a response to the inability of the Silicon Valley to design tools that are secure and age appropriate for young users," commented a influential online safety campaigner. America: A Decentralized Approach Across America, regulation is largely occurring at the state level due to country-wide stalemate. Utah mandates adult approval for minors to use social media and limits overnight use. The state of Florida has passed a law barring those below 14 from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to court battles. Virginia has passed a law limiting teenagers to 60 minutes of social media use per day, with any further time needing a guardian's okay. Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly introduced measures mandating guardian approval for teenagers to create social media accounts. Despite cross-party agreement and calls from certain figures to mimic this lead, a federal ban is right now seen as improbable. Global Perspectives Apart from Europe and the US, further states are also taking action. The Malaysian government aims to ban social media for those under sixteen effective next year. Brazil has increased the minimum age for Instagram to 16. Yet, world agencies strike a more measured position. Unicef has cautioned that age-based restrictions have downsides and "could backfire". The body notes that social networks can be a "critical link" for isolated young people and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for platform operators to improve safety. As this international discussion unfolds, the policies of this nation and its followers demonstrate that states around the world are increasingly content to delay for platforms to act voluntarily.