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The nation's controversial policy to restrict social networking access for young people below 16 is sending ripples worldwide. Politicians, child protection groups, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this tactic will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

European Momentum

Throughout Europe, a increasing chorus of countries are considering parallel restrictions.

• The Danish government has announced a ban on social media for under-15s, with the prime minister declaring that mobile devices and platforms are "taking away our youngsters' innocence". Legislation could be passed soon.
• Norway is planning to enforce a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to shield the young from the "power of the AI".
• Ireland is introducing a online verification tool to verify the user details of social media users. Authorities have indicated that an similar ban remains "one of the measures on the table".
• In Spain, the leader has called on parliament to enact a proposal lifting the legal age for using social media to 16.
• In The French government, the leader has threatened a ban for those under fifteen, and a parliamentary commission has recommended a similar step, potentially involving an overnight "screen time restriction" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The government in The Netherlands has urged families to restrict their kids from social media before 15.

Across the European Union, the European parliament has adopted a non-binding statement supporting a ban for under-16s except if guardian approval is granted. While it highlights of the "addictive" nature of these platforms, the move does not establish enforceable legislation.

"An effective age restriction is a good foundation," commented a leading MEP behind the initiative.

Britain: An Evidence-Based Eye

Across Britain, the leadership has not ruled out a future ban, emphasizing that "nothing is discarded" but insisting any action must be "based on robust evidence".

Earlier, support gathered behind a legislative effort to introduce controls on social media use by teenagers, but it was ultimately weakened. Instead, the administration vowed to further research the topic.

Campaign organizations have voiced warnings. One foundation founded by the family of a girl who took her own life after being exposed to disturbing online content suggests that a simple age ban could fail to protect children and could create a "dangerous transition" of risk when young people become eligible.

"The Australian ban is a reaction to the inability of the Silicon Valley to build platforms and apps that are appropriate and suitable for children," commented a leading peer.

The United States: A Decentralized Landscape

In the United States, action is mostly unfolding at the local level amid country-wide stalemate.

• Utah requires parental consent for under-18s to use social media and restricts nighttime use.
• Florida has signed a law barring those below 14 from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to constitutional disputes.
• Virginia has passed a law restricting under-16s to a single hour of social media time per day, with extra access needing adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have also passed laws mandating parental consent for teenagers to open social media profiles.

Even with bipartisan support and proposals from various politicians to follow this lead, a nationwide ban is currently seen as unlikely.

International Views

Apart from these regions, additional states are likewise exploring options.

• Malaysia aims to restrict social media for those under sixteen starting from next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has raised the minimum age for Instagram to 16.

But, global bodies adopt a more nuanced position. The UN children's agency has advised that social media bans have downsides and "could have unintended consequences". The agency notes that social networks can be a "vital connection" for isolated children and that bans should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to prioritize child safeguards.

Even as this worldwide debate unfolds, the actions of this nation and several other countries show that states globally are increasingly content to delay for tech companies to act voluntarily.