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The nation's decisive action to prohibit social media access for individuals under sixteen is sending ripples around the globe. Officials, campaigners, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this approach will inspire imitation for the rest of the world.

European Momentum

In Europe, a growing group of nations are exploring similar measures.

• Denmark has announced a prohibition on social media for youth below 15, with the prime minister arguing that phones and apps are "stealing our kids' youth". The policy is expected to be formalized in the coming year.
• The Norwegian government is preparing to introduce a minimum age limit of 15, highlighting the need to protect children from the "influence of the algorithms".
• The Irish government is working on a digital ID system to authenticate the user details of social media participants. The media minister have stated that an Australia-style ban could be "one of the measures on the table".
• In Spain, the president has called on the legislature to pass a law increasing the minimum age for using social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has floated the idea of a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has endorsed a similar move, including an overnight "screen time restriction" for adolescents.
• The government in the Netherlands has urged families to prevent their children from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the bloc's legislature has adopted a non-binding resolution supporting a ban for minors without guardian approval is granted. Although it highlights of the "addictive" nature of these services, the resolution does not establish mandatory rules.

"An effective age restriction is a good first step," commented the parliamentarian behind the resolution.

Britain: A Watchful Stance

In the UK, the leadership has remained open to a future ban, emphasizing that "no measure is off the table" but stressing any policy must be "based on strong research".

Earlier, momentum built behind a legislative effort to impose controls on social media use by under-16s, but it was in the end weakened. Instead, the government committed to further research the issue.

Campaign organizations have expressed apprehensions. An organization founded by the relatives of a teenager who died after encountering disturbing online content contends that a strict age ban may not protect children and could result in a "sudden drop-off" of harm when young people become eligible.

"Australia's ban is a response to the refusal of the tech sector to create platforms and apps that are secure and fit for children," said a influential online safety campaigner.

America: A Decentralized Picture

Across America, regulation is largely unfolding at the state government level amid national inaction.

• The state of Utah mandates parental consent for those under 18 to use social media and controls overnight use.
• Florida has enacted a measure barring under-14s from creating accounts on social media, though it is subject to court battles.
• The state of Virginia has passed a regulation limiting minors to 60 minutes of social media access per day, with additional time dependent on adult consent.
• Georgia, Tennessee, and The state of Louisiana have likewise enacted measures demanding adult authorization for teenagers to create social media profiles.

Despite widespread concern and calls from some figures to copy this path, a US-wide ban is presently seen as unlikely.

Worldwide Outlook

Apart from Europe and the US, other countries are likewise considering moves.

• Malaysia intends to prohibit social media for those under sixteen beginning next year.
• Brazil has increased the access age for Instagram to 16.

But, international organizations adopt a more measured tone. Unicef has advised that age-based restrictions pose dangers and "might have unintended consequences". The body points out that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for marginalized children and that bans should not be a "substitute" for platform operators to invest in safety.

While this global discussion unfolds, the policies of Australia and others demonstrate that governments around the world are increasingly willing to wait for tech companies to act voluntarily.