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Australia's decisive move to ban social media access for those under 16 is sending ripples internationally. Lawmakers, safety advocates, and guardians are monitoring closely to see if this tactic will set a precedent for the rest of the world.

The European Momentum

In Europe, a rising group of states are considering parallel restrictions.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the PM arguing that smartphones and apps are "stealing our children's youth". Legislation is expected to be passed next year.
• The Norwegian government is set to introduce a age restriction of 15, citing the need to shield young people from the "influence of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is introducing a digital ID system to authenticate the age and identity of social media account holders. Officials have indicated that an Australian-model ban could be "a potential tools on the table".
• In The Spanish government, the president has asked the legislature to pass a law lifting the legal age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the president has proposed a ban for children below 15, and a government panel has recommended a similar step, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for older teenagers.
• The administration in the Netherlands has recommended guardians to restrict their kids from social media before 15.

Across the European Union, the European parliament has passed a advisory motion calling for a ban for minors unless parental consent is given. Even though it warns of the "habit-forming" design of these apps, the step does not enact binding law.

"A clear age limit is a useful foundation," stated the parliamentarian supporting the resolution.

Britain: A Watchful Eye

In the UK, the leadership has kept open a possible ban, arguing that "nothing is being dismissed" but maintaining any decision must be "grounded in robust research".

Previously, support built behind a proposal to introduce restrictions on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end modified. However, the government committed to investigate the matter.

Charities have raised apprehensions. An organization founded by the loved ones of a teenager who took her own life after viewing dangerous online content suggests that a strict age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could create a "cliff edge" of risk when young people become eligible.

"The Australian ban is a reaction to the failure of the Silicon Valley to build platforms and apps that are appropriate and fit for minors," stated a influential online safety campaigner.

The US: A State-by-State Approach

In the United States, action is primarily occurring at the local level due to national stalemate.

• Utah demands parental consent for under-18s to use social media and controls overnight use.
• Florida has passed a law barring children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it faces court battles.
• The state of Virginia has enacted a regulation capping under-16s to one hour of social media access per day, with any further use needing adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also enacted bills requiring parental consent for teenagers to open social media profiles.

Even with bipartisan support and suggestions from certain politicians to copy this lead, a federal ban is currently seen as improbable.

Global Perspectives

Apart from the West, additional nations are similarly considering moves.

• Malaysia plans to restrict social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• Brazil has raised the required age for Instagram to 16.

Yet, international organizations take a more measured position. A major UN agency has advised that social media bans have downsides and "could have unintended consequences". The agency notes that online platforms can be a "critical link" for vulnerable youth and that regulation should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to improve user protection.

As this global conversation unfolds, the policies of Australia and others show that policymakers globally are less and less content to wait for platforms to self-regulate.