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The nation's bold policy to prohibit social media access for young people below 16 is sending ripples around the globe. Lawmakers, campaigners, and families are monitoring closely to see if this approach will become a template for other nations.

The European Trend

In Europe, a rising chorus of countries are moving toward similar bans.

• Denmark has stated a restriction on social media for under-15s, with the PM arguing that mobile devices and platforms are "stealing our kids' childhood". A law is expected to be enacted soon.
• Norway is set to introduce a minimum age limit of 15, pointing to the need to shield children from the "power of the algorithms".
• Ireland is developing a digital wallet to confirm the user details of social media participants. Authorities have indicated that an similar ban is "a potential tools under consideration".
• In The Spanish government, the prime minister has urged the legislature to approve a law raising the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has threatened a ban for under-15s, and a government panel has recommended a similar step, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The administration in The Netherlands has urged guardians to block their children from social media before 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has adopted a symbolic motion demanding a ban for teenagers under 16 except if parental consent is given. Even though it cautions of the "compulsive" nature of these apps, the move does not create mandatory rules.

"A clear age barrier is a solid foundation," commented the MEP behind the resolution.

The United Kingdom: A Watchful Eye

In the UK, the leadership has kept open a potential ban, stating that "no measure is off the table" but maintaining any action must be "grounded in robust evidence".

Last year, interest built behind a bill to enact limits on social media use by teenagers, but it was in the end watered down. However, the government vowed to conduct more studies the matter.

Charities have expressed warnings. An organization set up by the family of a young person who died after being exposed to harmful platform posts contends that a simple age ban could fail to make platforms safer and could result in a "cliff edge" of risk when users turn 16.

"Australia's ban is a response to the failure of the social media companies to design platforms and apps that are secure and fit for children," commented a leading peer.

America: A Decentralized Picture

Stateside, action is primarily happening at the local level against a backdrop of federal gridlock.

• Utah requires guardian permission for those under 18 to use social media and controls late-night use.
• The state of Florida has signed a bill prohibiting under-14s from accessing social media, though it is entangled in legal challenges.
• Virginia has approved a regulation capping minors to one hour of social media access per day, with extra use requiring parental permission.
• The state of Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise introduced laws demanding parental consent for under-16s to create social media accounts.

Even with widespread concern and proposals from some politicians to mimic this lead, a US-wide ban is presently seen as unlikely.

International Views

Outside of Europe and the US, other nations are also considering moves.

• Malaysia plans to restrict social media for teenagers starting from next year.
• Brazil has raised the required age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, world agencies take a more measured position. Unicef has advised that age-based restrictions have downsides and "could prove counterproductive". The agency highlights that social networks can be a "lifeline" for isolated children and that bans should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to improve user protection.

Even as this worldwide discussion unfolds, the policies of Australia and its followers indicate that governments globally are no longer prepared to stand by for the industry to make changes on their own.