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The nation's decisive policy to ban social media access for young people below 16 is sending ripples worldwide. Officials, safety advocates, and guardians are watching with great interest to see if this strategy will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

European Trend

In Europe, a growing group of countries are considering comparable restrictions.

• Denmark plans a restriction on social media for youth below 15, with the PM declaring that smartphones and networks are "robbing our children's childhood". The policy is expected to be passed next year.
• The Norwegian government is preparing to implement a minimum age limit of 15, citing the need to protect the young from the "manipulative force of the AI".
• Ireland is introducing a digital wallet to confirm the identity and age of social media users. Officials have suggested that an similar ban is "a potential measures on the table".
• In Spain, the president has urged parliament to pass a proposal lifting the legal age for using 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 recommended a related step, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in The Dutch government has urged parents to restrict their children from social media until 15.

Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has approved a symbolic motion supporting a ban for teenagers under 16 except if a parent decides otherwise is granted. While it highlights of the "compulsive" design of these platforms, the resolution does not establish mandatory rules.

"A strong age restriction is a solid starting point," stated one European lawmaker driving the initiative.

The United Kingdom: A Watchful Approach

For the United Kingdom, the administration has not ruled out a potential ban, arguing that "no measure is being dismissed" but stressing any decision must be "based on robust evidence".

Last year, interest grew behind a legislative effort to impose restrictions on social media use by teenagers, but it was eventually watered down. Nonetheless, the administration pledged to investigate the matter.

Campaign organizations have expressed warnings. An organization set up by the relatives of a girl who died after encountering harmful social media material suggests that a simple age ban could fail to improve online safety and could create a "cliff edge" of risk when teens reach the legal age.

"This ban is a response to the refusal of the social media companies to create tools that are secure and age appropriate for minors," said a influential child protection advocate.

The US: A Decentralized Picture

Stateside, legislation is primarily happening at the state level amid country-wide stalemate.

• Utah mandates parental consent for those under 18 to use social media and limits nighttime use.
• Florida has signed a measure prohibiting under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is entangled in legal challenges.
• Virginia has approved a law limiting under-16s to one hour of social media time per day, with extra use needing parental permission.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have likewise passed measures mandating adult authorization for minors to open social media accounts.

Even with bipartisan support and proposals from certain politicians to copy the Australian path, a federal ban is currently seen as improbable.

Global Perspectives

Apart from the West, additional countries are similarly considering moves.

• Malaysia intends to prohibit social media for teenagers beginning next year.
• Brazil has lifted the minimum age for the platform Instagram to 16.

However, international organizations adopt a more measured position. Unicef has advised that age-based restrictions have downsides and "might prove counterproductive". The organization points out that social networks can be a "vital connection" for marginalized youth and that government action should not be a "replacement" for social media firms to improve child safeguards.

As this global conversation continues, the policies of this nation and others demonstrate that governments around the world are less and less willing to wait for tech companies to self-regulate.