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Australia's bold policy to prohibit social networking access for those under 16 is creating waves internationally. Lawmakers, campaigners, and guardians are monitoring with great interest to see if this approach will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Trend

In Europe, a growing group of countries are considering parallel measures.

• The Danish government has announced a prohibition on social media for under-15s, with the prime minister stating that mobile devices and platforms are "stealing our youngsters' youth". Legislation is expected to be formalized in the coming year.
• Norway is planning to introduce a minimum age limit of 15, citing the need to protect young people from the "influence of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is developing a digital wallet to confirm the user details of social media participants. Authorities have suggested that an Australia-style ban remains "a potential options under consideration".
• In Spain, the leader has asked lawmakers to approve a bill raising the access age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the president has proposed a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a comparable step, including an overnight "digital curfew" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in The Netherlands has urged families to prevent their youngsters from social media before 15.

At the EU level, the bloc's legislature has approved a symbolic statement calling for a ban for teenagers under 16 except if parental consent is granted. While it cautions of the "compulsive" design of these apps, the step does not create binding law.

"A strong age limit is a useful starting point," said a leading parliamentarian behind the measure.

Britain: A Cautious Stance

Across Britain, the government has remained open to a future ban, emphasizing that "no measure is being dismissed" but insisting any policy must be "supported by robust evidence".

Last year, momentum gathered behind a proposal to impose restrictions on social media use by teenagers, but it was in the end weakened. However, the government vowed to investigate the topic.

Campaign organizations have raised apprehensions. A prominent charity established by the family of a girl who died after being exposed to dangerous social media material contends that a blanket age ban may not make platforms safer and could lead to a "cliff edge" of harm when users become eligible.

"The Australian ban is a reaction to the failure of the tech sector to build tools that are secure and fit for children," said a influential child protection advocate.

The United States: A Decentralized Picture

Across America, legislation is largely happening at the state government level amid country-wide stalemate.

• Utah demands parental consent for under-18s to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
• Florida has enacted a measure barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• The state of Virginia has approved a rule capping under-16s to one hour of social media access per day, with additional access dependent on parental permission.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly enacted measures demanding adult authorization for under-16s to create social media presences.

Despite cross-party agreement and suggestions from various figures to copy the Australian path, a nationwide ban is currently seen as improbable.

Worldwide Perspectives

Outside of Europe and the US, further nations are likewise taking action.

• The Malaysian government intends to ban social media for teenagers starting from next year.
• Brazil has increased the access age for the platform Instagram to 16.

Yet, world organizations adopt a more cautious stance. A major UN agency has warned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "may even prove counterproductive". The organization points out that social networks can be a "critical link" for vulnerable children and that regulation should not be a "excuse" for platform operators to improve user protection.

As this worldwide debate unfolds, the policies of the Australian government and others show that policymakers around the world are less and less content to stand by for the industry to act voluntarily.