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The Australian controversial policy to restrict social media access for those under 16 is sending ripples worldwide. Politicians, child protection groups, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this approach will inspire imitation for countries abroad.

European Trend

Across Europe, a rising chorus of states are moving toward parallel restrictions.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the PM arguing that mobile devices and platforms are "taking away our youngsters' childhood". Legislation is expected to be enacted in the coming year.
• Norway is planning to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to shield the young from the "influence of the algorithms".
• Ireland is developing a online verification tool to authenticate the identity and age of social media participants. Authorities have indicated that an Australia-style ban is "an tools under consideration".
• In Spain, the prime minister has asked lawmakers to enact a bill increasing the minimum age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the president has floated the idea of a ban for under-15s, and a government panel has suggested a related step, alongside an overnight "digital curfew" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in the Netherlands has advised families to restrict their youngsters from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the EU parliament has approved a symbolic motion supporting a ban for under-16s unless a parent decides otherwise is given. Although it highlights of the "addictive" design of these platforms, the resolution does not create mandatory rules.

"An effective age limit is a solid starting point," stated a leading MEP behind the resolution.

The United Kingdom: A Cautious Stance

In the UK, the administration has kept open a future ban, stating that "no measure is off the table" but stressing any action must be "based on conclusive data".

Earlier, momentum gathered behind a bill to enact controls on social media use by minors, but it was eventually watered down. However, the administration pledged to investigate the topic.

Campaign organizations have raised apprehensions. One foundation founded by the family of a girl who took her own life after being exposed to harmful platform posts argues that a blanket age ban may not make platforms safer and could result in a "cliff edge" of exposure when users reach the legal age.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the refusal of the tech sector to design products and services that are safe and suitable for minors," commented a leading online safety campaigner.

The US: A State-by-State Landscape

Stateside, regulation is primarily happening at the local government level due to national stalemate.

• The state of Utah demands guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and restricts overnight use.
• The state of Florida has enacted a measure barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• The state of Virginia has approved a rule capping teenagers to 60 minutes of social media time per day, with extra access requiring a guardian's okay.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise introduced laws demanding guardian approval for teenagers to set up social media accounts.

Even with widespread concern and suggestions from some individuals to mimic Australia's lead, a federal ban is currently seen as improbable.

International Views

Outside of the West, further states are similarly taking action.

• Malaysia aims to ban social media for teenagers beginning next year.
• Brazil has increased the minimum age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, global bodies take a more nuanced position. Unicef has advised that blanket prohibitions pose dangers and "might prove counterproductive". The organization points out that social networks can be a "lifeline" for marginalized young people and that regulation should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to invest in safety.

As this international debate evolves, the steps of this nation and several other countries show that governments internationally are less and less content to stand by for platforms to self-regulate.