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The nation's controversial policy to restrict social media access for young people below 16 is creating waves around the globe. Officials, child protection groups, and families are monitoring with great interest to see if this approach will become a template for other nations.

The European Momentum

Across Europe, a rising group of nations are exploring comparable measures.

• The Danish government has announced a ban on social media for youth below 15, with the PM arguing that mobile devices and apps are "stealing our kids' youth". The policy could be enacted next year.
• The Norwegian government is planning to enforce a access barrier of 15, pointing to the need to safeguard children from the "influence of the AI".
• The Irish government is working on a digital wallet to verify the age and identity of social media account holders. Authorities have stated that an Australian-model ban remains "an tools on the table".
• In Spain, the prime minister has called on the legislature to approve a law increasing the legal age for accessing social media to 16.
• In France, the leader has threatened a ban for children below 15, and a legislative committee has recommended a comparable step, potentially involving an overnight "digital curfew" for 15- to 18-year-olds.
• The authorities in the Netherlands has recommended families to block their kids from social media until 15.

For the broader EU, the European parliament has adopted a advisory resolution calling for a ban for minors without guardian approval is granted. Even though it highlights of the "habit-forming" quality of these platforms, the move does not enact binding law.

"A clear age limit is a solid starting point," said the European lawmaker behind the measure.

Britain: A Watchful Eye

For the United Kingdom, the administration has remained open to a possible ban, arguing that "no measure is being dismissed" but maintaining any action must be "grounded in conclusive data".

Last year, interest grew behind a bill to introduce restrictions on social media use by under-16s, but it was ultimately watered down. However, the administration pledged to further research the topic.

Advocacy groups have voiced warnings. A prominent charity established by the relatives of a teenager who died after encountering dangerous online content suggests that a strict age ban could fail to improve online safety and could result in a "sudden drop-off" of exposure when teens become eligible.

"This ban is a response to the refusal of the tech sector to design tools that are appropriate and suitable for children," said a prominent child protection advocate.

The United States: A Decentralized Landscape

Across America, action is primarily occurring at the regional level amid country-wide gridlock.

• Utah demands parental consent for those under 18 to use social media and controls late-night use.
• Florida has enacted a measure barring children under fourteen from joining social media, though it is subject to legal challenges.
• The state of Virginia has approved a law capping teenagers to a single hour of social media use per day, with extra use needing adult consent.
• Georgia, The state of Tennessee, and Louisiana have also passed bills mandating guardian approval for under-16s to open social media accounts.

Even with widespread concern and calls from various figures to copy the Australian path, a US-wide ban is currently seen as unlikely.

Global Views

Outside of the West, further states are also considering moves.

• Malaysia plans to restrict social media for under-16s starting from next year.
• The Brazilian authorities has increased the minimum age for Instagram to 16.

Yet, world bodies strike a more cautious tone. The UN children's agency has warned that age-based restrictions carry risks and "may even backfire". The agency highlights that online platforms can be a "lifeline" for vulnerable children and that bans should not be a "substitute" for social media firms to invest in safety.

Even as this international debate evolves, the actions of the Australian government and its followers demonstrate that governments internationally are no longer content to wait for tech companies to act voluntarily.