🔗 Share this article Could Other States Pursue Australia's in Restricting Social Media for Under-16s? The Australian decisive move to prohibit social networking access for young people below 16 is creating waves around the globe. Officials, child protection groups, and guardians are observing with great interest to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for other nations. European Movement Across Europe, a increasing chorus of nations are exploring comparable bans. Denmark plans a restriction on social media for children under fifteen, with the leader declaring that phones and apps are "taking away our youngsters' youth". A law could be enacted in the coming year. Norway is set to enforce a age restriction of 15, citing the need to safeguard the young from the "influence of the recommendation systems". Ireland is developing a online verification tool to verify the age and identity of social media participants. Officials have suggested that an Australia-style ban remains "one of the tools under consideration". In Spain, the president has asked parliament to approve a proposal lifting the minimum 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 legislative committee has recommended a similar step, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for 15- to 18-year-olds. The administration in The Dutch government has recommended parents to block their kids from social media until 15. At the EU level, the European parliament has passed a symbolic statement demanding a ban for minors without a parent decides otherwise is granted. While it cautions of the "habit-forming" quality of these services, the move does not enact mandatory rules. "A strong age limit is a useful foundation," stated one parliamentarian behind the resolution. The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Approach For the United Kingdom, the leadership has kept open a potential ban, arguing that "no measure is being dismissed" but maintaining any action must be "based on strong data". Earlier, interest built behind a legislative effort to impose controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was eventually weakened. Nonetheless, the administration pledged to investigate the issue. Campaign organizations have raised concerns. One foundation established by the family of a young person who was lost after encountering disturbing platform posts suggests that a strict age ban could fail to improve online safety and could result in a "dangerous transition" of risk when teens reach the legal age. "The Australian ban is a reaction to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to design products and services that are secure and suitable for young users," stated a leading online safety campaigner. The US: A Decentralized Approach Across America, regulation is mostly happening at the state level amid country-wide gridlock. Utah demands parental consent for under-18s to use social media and restricts nighttime use. The state of Florida has signed a law prohibiting children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it is subject to constitutional disputes. Virginia has approved a regulation limiting under-16s to a single hour of social media time per day, with additional access requiring a guardian's okay. Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly enacted laws requiring parental consent for teenagers to set up social media profiles. Even with cross-party agreement and suggestions from certain figures to mimic Australia's example, a federal ban is right now seen as a distant prospect. Global Outlook Outside of these regions, additional nations are similarly taking action. The Malaysian government plans to ban social media for teenagers beginning next year. The Brazilian authorities has increased the minimum age for the platform Instagram to 16. But, world bodies take a more measured position. Unicef has advised that social media bans pose dangers and "may even backfire". The organization notes that the internet can be a "lifeline" for isolated children and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to prioritize safety. Even as this worldwide debate unfolds, the steps of this nation and others show that states around the world are no longer willing to stand by for the industry to self-regulate.