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The Australian controversial action to prohibit social networking access for those under 16 is creating waves worldwide. Officials, safety advocates, and parents are observing closely to see if this strategy will become a template for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Movement

Throughout Europe, a growing group of nations are moving toward similar restrictions.

• The Danish government plans a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the prime minister stating that phones and networks are "taking away our kids' innocence". A law is expected to be passed next year.
• Norway is preparing to introduce a age restriction of 15, citing the need to protect the young from the "power of the recommendation systems".
• The Irish government is developing a digital ID system to verify the user details of social media users. Officials have indicated that an Australian-model ban is "one of the measures on the table".
• In The Spanish government, the president has called on lawmakers to enact a proposal increasing the access age for joining social media to 16.
• In The French government, the head of state has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has suggested a related action, potentially involving an overnight "internet blackout" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in The Netherlands has urged guardians to prevent their youngsters from social media up to the age of 15.

For the broader EU, the European parliament has passed a advisory statement supporting a ban for under-16s unless parental consent is provided. While it cautions of the "addictive" quality of these services, the step does not create binding law.

"A clear age barrier is a good foundation," said one MEP supporting the resolution.

The UK: A Cautious Eye

For the United Kingdom, the leadership has remained open to a potential ban, arguing that "no measure is being dismissed" but maintaining any action must be "based on strong research".

Earlier, momentum grew behind a bill to enact controls on social media use by teenagers, but it was eventually watered down. However, the administration vowed to conduct more studies the topic.

Campaign organizations have voiced apprehensions. An organization founded by the family of a young person who was lost after being exposed to disturbing online content suggests that a strict age ban may not improve online safety and could create a "sudden drop-off" of exposure when young people become eligible.

"The Australian ban is a answer to the inability of the social media companies to design tools that are appropriate and fit for minors," said a influential peer.

The United States: A State-by-State Landscape

In the United States, legislation is largely happening at the regional level due to national stalemate.

• The state of Utah requires adult approval for under-18s to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
• The state of Florida has signed a bill barring those below 14 from joining social media, though it is subject to constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has approved a regulation capping teenagers to a single hour of social media access per day, with any further use dependent on a guardian's okay.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed bills demanding guardian approval for minors to create social media accounts.

Despite bipartisan support and calls from various individuals to follow the Australian path, a US-wide ban is right now seen as a distant prospect.

Worldwide Views

Beyond Europe and the US, further countries are similarly considering moves.

• Malaysia aims to restrict social media for those under sixteen beginning next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has raised the access age for one major platform to 16.

But, global organizations adopt a more measured stance. A major UN agency has cautioned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "may even backfire". The organization points out that social networks can be a "vital connection" for isolated youth and that bans should not be a "replacement" for platform operators to improve user protection.

Even as this international discussion continues, the policies of the Australian government and its followers indicate that policymakers internationally are no longer prepared to delay for platforms to make changes on their own.