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The Australian bold policy to prohibit social media access for young people below 16 is creating waves worldwide. Officials, child protection groups, and guardians are monitoring with great interest to see if this approach will become a template for countries abroad.

Across Europe Momentum

Throughout Europe, a rising chorus of countries are exploring parallel restrictions.

• The Danish government has stated a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the leader arguing that phones and apps are "taking away our children's youth". Legislation is expected to be passed in the coming year.
• The Norwegian government is set to enforce a age restriction of 15, highlighting the need to protect the young from the "power of the AI".
• Ireland is working on a digital wallet to confirm the age and identity of social media participants. The media minister have stated that an similar ban remains "an options under consideration".
• In Spain, the prime minister has called on lawmakers to enact a bill lifting the legal age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a government panel has endorsed a comparable step, including an overnight "digital curfew" for older teenagers.
• The authorities in the Netherlands has urged parents to prevent their kids from social media until 15.

At the EU level, the EU parliament has approved a advisory statement calling for a ban for minors except if a parent decides otherwise is given. Even though it cautions of the "compulsive" design of these platforms, the resolution does not enact binding law.

"A clear age restriction is a good first step," said a leading MEP driving the resolution.

The United Kingdom: An Evidence-Based Approach

For the United Kingdom, the administration has not ruled out a future ban, arguing that "nothing is being dismissed" but stressing any decision must be "grounded in robust evidence".

Earlier, momentum gathered behind a proposal to introduce restrictions on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end weakened. Instead, the government pledged to further research the matter.

Campaign organizations have raised apprehensions. A prominent charity founded by the family of a teenager who died after encountering dangerous platform posts argues that a strict age ban might not improve online safety and could create a "sudden drop-off" of risk when teens reach the legal age.

"The Australian ban is a reaction to the refusal of the Silicon Valley to create platforms and apps that are appropriate and fit for young users," stated a prominent peer.

The US: A Decentralized Picture

Across America, action is mostly occurring at the local level due to country-wide inaction.

• The state of Utah mandates guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and limits overnight use.
• Florida has signed a bill barring children under fourteen from accessing social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• Virginia has approved a regulation restricting under-16s to one hour of social media access per day, with additional time dependent on parental permission.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have also enacted measures demanding adult authorization for minors to open social media presences.

Despite widespread concern and suggestions from some individuals to follow the Australian example, a US-wide ban is right now seen as unlikely.

Worldwide Perspectives

Apart from Europe and the US, further countries are also considering moves.

• Malaysia intends to ban social media for those under sixteen effective next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has raised the required age for one major platform to 16.

But, international organizations adopt a more measured stance. A major UN agency has advised that social media bans pose dangers and "could have unintended consequences". The organization notes that social networks can be a "critical link" for isolated children and that government action should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to invest in safety.

While this international conversation evolves, the actions of the Australian government and its followers show that policymakers around the world are less and less willing to wait for tech companies to self-regulate.