🔗 Share this article Will Different Countries Pursue Australia's Lead in Prohibiting Online Networks for Youth Under Sixteen? The Australian bold move to prohibit social media access for individuals under sixteen is creating waves around the globe. Officials, campaigners, and families are watching with great interest to see if this approach will become a template for the rest of the world. Across Europe Trend Across Europe, a rising number of countries are exploring comparable measures. Denmark plans a ban on social media for children under fifteen, with the PM declaring that mobile devices and networks are "stealing our children's youth". Legislation is expected to be passed in the coming year. Norway is planning to introduce a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to protect children from the "manipulative force of the recommendation systems". The Irish government is developing a digital wallet to verify the age and identity of social media account holders. The media minister have indicated that an Australian-model ban remains "one of the measures on the table". In Spain, the leader has called on lawmakers to approve a law lifting the access age for joining social media to 16. In France, the president has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a government panel has recommended a similar step, alongside an overnight "screen time restriction" for older teenagers. The government in the Netherlands has advised guardians to restrict their youngsters from social media until 15. At the EU level, the European parliament has approved a advisory resolution demanding a ban for minors without a parent decides otherwise is granted. Although it highlights of the "habit-forming" design of these services, the step does not create mandatory rules. "A strong age barrier is a useful first step," commented the MEP supporting the initiative. Britain: An Evidence-Based Approach For the United Kingdom, the leadership has kept open a future ban, arguing that "nothing is discarded" but maintaining any policy must be "grounded in robust evidence". Previously, interest built behind a legislative effort to enact controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was ultimately weakened. Nonetheless, the government vowed to further research the issue. Advocacy groups have expressed apprehensions. An organization founded by the family of a teenager who was lost after viewing disturbing social media material contends that a strict age ban could fail to protect children and could create a "dangerous transition" of exposure when teens become eligible. "The Australian ban is a response to the inability of the tech sector to build tools that are appropriate and fit for young users," said a prominent child protection advocate. America: A Decentralized Approach Across America, action is largely happening at the state government level amid national gridlock. The state of Utah demands guardian permission for those under 18 to use social media and restricts nighttime use. The state of Florida has signed a law prohibiting under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to court battles. The state of Virginia has passed a law limiting teenagers to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with additional time needing a guardian's okay. The state of Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed bills mandating adult authorization for minors to open social media profiles. Even with cross-party agreement and proposals from some individuals to copy the Australian example, a federal ban is presently seen as a distant prospect. Worldwide Perspectives Apart from Europe and the US, additional nations are similarly considering moves. Malaysia plans to restrict social media for under-16s starting from next year. The Brazilian authorities has raised the minimum age for one major platform to 16. Yet, global bodies adopt a more measured position. A major UN agency has advised that blanket prohibitions have downsides and "may even have unintended consequences". The organization highlights that social networks can be a "vital connection" for vulnerable young people and that bans should not be a "excuse" for social media firms to invest in safety. While this global conversation evolves, the steps of the Australian government and its followers demonstrate that governments internationally are less and less prepared to delay for tech companies to make changes on their own.