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The Australian controversial move to ban social platforms access for young people below 16 is creating waves around the globe. Officials, child protection groups, and guardians are watching with great interest to see if this approach will become a template for the rest of the world.

Across Europe Momentum

In Europe, a growing chorus of states are considering comparable bans.

• Denmark has stated a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the PM arguing that mobile devices and networks are "robbing our youngsters' childhood". A law is expected to be formalized in the coming year.
• The Norwegian government is planning to enforce a access barrier of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard the young from the "influence of the recommendation systems".
• Ireland is working on a digital ID system to verify the identity and age of social media participants. Authorities have indicated that an similar ban could be "an options on the table".
• In Spain, the president has urged lawmakers to pass a proposal lifting the access age for joining social media to 16.
• In France, the head of state has floated the idea of a ban for under-15s, and a parliamentary commission has endorsed a comparable step, including an overnight "digital curfew" for older teenagers.
• The administration in the Netherlands has advised guardians to prevent their youngsters from social media before 15.

Across the European Union, the bloc's legislature has adopted a symbolic resolution demanding a ban for under-16s except if a parent decides otherwise is given. Even though it cautions of the "addictive" design of these platforms, the resolution does not establish mandatory rules.

"A clear age limit is a solid starting point," commented one parliamentarian supporting the resolution.

The UK: A Watchful Approach

In the UK, the government has remained open to a future ban, emphasizing that "nothing is being dismissed" but maintaining any action must be "grounded in conclusive research".

Earlier, support gathered behind a legislative effort to introduce limits on social media use by minors, but it was in the end weakened. Instead, the administration vowed to conduct more studies the matter.

Campaign organizations have voiced concerns. An organization established by the family of a young person who died after viewing dangerous social media material suggests that a simple age ban might not improve online safety and could result in a "sudden drop-off" of harm when teens turn 16.

"The Australian ban is a response to the inability of the social media companies to design products and services that are safe and suitable for children," stated a leading child protection advocate.

The US: A Fragmented Picture

In the United States, regulation is mostly occurring at the regional level against a backdrop of federal gridlock.

• Utah demands parental consent for minors to use social media and controls overnight use.
• Florida has enacted a law banning under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it faces constitutional disputes.
• The state of Virginia has passed a law capping teenagers to a single hour of social media access per day, with extra access dependent on parental permission.
• The state of Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana have similarly enacted laws requiring guardian approval for teenagers to create social media presences.

Even with widespread concern and calls from certain politicians to follow the Australian lead, a federal ban is right now seen as unlikely.

International Outlook

Outside of Europe and the US, additional countries are likewise taking action.

• Malaysia plans to restrict social media for under-16s beginning next year.
• Brazil has lifted the required age for one major platform to 16.

But, global bodies adopt a more cautious stance. The UN children's agency has cautioned that social media bans carry risks and "may even have unintended consequences". The organization notes that social networks can be a "vital connection" for isolated youth and that government action should not be a "excuse" for platform operators to prioritize user protection.

While this global conversation evolves, the steps of this nation and several other countries indicate that policymakers globally are increasingly content to wait for the industry to act voluntarily.