🔗 Share this article Will Other Countries Pursue Australia's in Restricting Social Media for Teenagers Under 16? Australia's decisive action to restrict social networking access for those under 16 is sending ripples internationally. Politicians, child protection groups, and parents are monitoring with great interest to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for other nations. European Momentum In Europe, a increasing chorus of nations are exploring comparable measures. Denmark has announced a prohibition on social media for under-15s, with the PM arguing that smartphones and networks are "taking away our kids' innocence". A law is expected to be formalized in the coming year. Norway is planning to implement a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to safeguard children from the "influence of the AI". The Irish government is working on a online verification tool to authenticate the age and identity of social media users. The media minister have stated that an Australian-model ban is "an measures in reserve". In The Spanish government, the prime minister has asked lawmakers to enact a proposal lifting the access age for joining social media to 16. In France, the president has threatened a ban for those under fifteen, and a government panel has endorsed a similar move, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents. The authorities in the Netherlands has urged parents to prevent their youngsters from social media before 15. Across the European Union, the European parliament has approved a advisory resolution supporting a ban for minors except if guardian approval is given. While it warns of the "compulsive" quality of these apps, the resolution does not enact mandatory rules. "An effective age limit is a solid first step," said one MEP supporting the initiative. The UK: An Evidence-Based Stance Across Britain, the administration has remained open to a potential ban, arguing that "no measure is off the table" but insisting any policy must be "grounded in strong evidence". Earlier, interest grew behind a proposal to impose controls on social media use by teenagers, but it was in the end watered down. Instead, the administration committed to further research the issue. Campaign organizations have expressed warnings. One foundation set up by the family of a young person who was lost after being exposed to dangerous social media material suggests that a blanket age ban may not improve online safety and could result in a "cliff edge" of risk when young people become eligible. "This ban is a response to the inability of the Silicon Valley to design tools that are safe and age appropriate for young users," commented a leading online safety campaigner. America: A State-by-State Picture Across America, action is largely occurring at the regional level against a backdrop of country-wide stalemate. Utah demands guardian permission for under-18s to use social media and limits overnight use. The state of Florida has enacted a law prohibiting under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is entangled in court battles. The state of Virginia has enacted a law limiting teenagers to a single hour of social media access per day, with extra access dependent on parental permission. Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have similarly passed bills demanding parental consent for teenagers to create social media presences. Despite cross-party agreement and suggestions from certain figures to copy the Australian example, a US-wide ban is currently seen as improbable. Worldwide Views Apart from Europe and the US, further countries are also taking action. The Malaysian government plans to prohibit social media for those under sixteen beginning next year. Brazil has raised the access age for one major platform to 16. Yet, world bodies adopt a more cautious position. A major UN agency has advised that social media bans carry risks and "might backfire". The body highlights that online platforms can be a "critical link" for marginalized youth and that regulation should not be a "replacement" for tech companies to improve user protection. Even as this global debate evolves, the steps of this nation and its followers show that governments globally are less and less willing to wait for the industry to make changes on their own.