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The Australian controversial action to ban social media access for young people below 16 is sending ripples around the globe. Officials, campaigners, and parents are monitoring with great interest to see if this approach will set a precedent for countries abroad.

Across Europe Movement

Across Europe, a growing number of nations are moving toward comparable restrictions.

• Denmark has stated a prohibition on social media for children under fifteen, with the PM arguing that mobile devices and platforms are "taking away our youngsters' youth". Legislation could be passed in the coming year.
• The Norwegian government is preparing to implement a access barrier of 15, pointing to the need to shield children from the "influence of the recommendation systems".
• The Irish government is working on a digital ID system to confirm the age and identity of social media participants. Officials have indicated that an similar ban remains "a potential tools in reserve".
• In Spain, the prime minister has urged the legislature to pass a law lifting the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has threatened a ban for children below 15, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a related step, potentially involving an overnight "internet blackout" for adolescents.
• The authorities in The Netherlands has recommended parents to block their youngsters from social media until 15.

At the EU level, the EU parliament has passed a non-binding statement calling for a ban for under-16s unless guardian approval is granted. Although it cautions of the "addictive" design of these services, the move does not create binding law.

"An effective age limit is a useful foundation," commented the parliamentarian supporting the initiative.

The UK: A Watchful Eye

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has not ruled out a possible ban, arguing that "no measure is off the table" but insisting any decision must be "supported by conclusive evidence".

Earlier, momentum built behind a proposal to enact limits on social media use by minors, but it was eventually watered down. Instead, the government committed to conduct more studies the matter.

Campaign organizations have expressed apprehensions. A prominent charity founded by the family of a girl who was lost after encountering disturbing social media material contends that a blanket age ban may not make platforms safer and could create a "dangerous transition" of harm when young people reach the legal age.

"Australia's ban is a answer to the refusal of the social media companies to design products and services that are safe and suitable for children," said a prominent peer.

The United States: A Fragmented Approach

Stateside, regulation is largely occurring at the local level against a backdrop of federal gridlock.

• The state of Utah mandates adult approval for those under 18 to use social media and controls overnight use.
• Florida has enacted a measure banning children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it faces court battles.
• Virginia has enacted a law capping teenagers to a single hour of social media use per day, with additional use dependent on adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise passed laws requiring guardian approval for teenagers to create social media profiles.

Even with bipartisan support and suggestions from certain politicians to copy Australia's example, a US-wide ban is right now seen as improbable.

International Perspectives

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

• The Malaysian government aims to restrict social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
• Brazil has lifted the required age for the platform Instagram to 16.

But, global agencies strike a more cautious position. Unicef has advised that blanket prohibitions carry risks and "may even backfire". The body highlights that the internet can be a "critical link" for marginalized children and that regulation should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to invest in child safeguards.

As this global conversation continues, the policies of the Australian government and others indicate that policymakers globally are no longer prepared to wait for platforms to make changes on their own.