EU MOVES TO BAN SOCIAL MEDIA FOR CHILDREN UNDER 13

Agency report

The European Union on Wednesday unveiled proposals to ban children under 13 from using social media, as more countries move to restrict minors’ access to online platforms amid growing concerns about their impact on children.

More than 20 countries worldwide have now taken steps to block or restrict children from accessing social media, according to an AFP tally.

Seven countries already have such measures in place or are preparing to implement them, with the policies targeting children below the ages of 15 or 16.

Australia became the first country to introduce a blanket ban on social media for under-16s in late 2025.

The US state of California has also recently moved to tighten restrictions on minors’ access to social media.

Under proposals unveiled on Wednesday by EU chief Ursula von der Leyen in the European Parliament, children would only be allowed limited and supervised access to social media until the age of 15.

The proposals came after months of discussions on measures to protect minors from features designed to keep users engaged on social media platforms.

Restrictions in place

Australia has banned social media access for under-16s since December 2025.

However, the ban appears to have been widely circumvented by teenagers, according to data released in August.

Brazil began implementing measures in March requiring platforms to link accounts belonging to users under 16 to those of their parents, while also requiring age verification.

In China, where internet use is tightly regulated by the state, restrictions on minors’ access to social media have been progressively introduced since 2019.

Initial measures imposed time limits and curfews on online gaming before similar restrictions were extended in 2023 to social media and streaming platforms.

Indonesia has banned social media for under-16s since March.

Malaysia has adopted a similar approach, with legislation that came into force in June excluding under-16s from major platforms.

Turkey is set to join the list after passing legislation in April to bar children under 15 from social media. The law is expected to take effect in late 2026.

The United Arab Emirates announced a ban on social media for under-15s last month, with implementation expected in about a year.

In the United States, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed around a dozen laws on September 10 aimed at protecting children online, including one banning platforms from offering addictive features to under-16s. The law is scheduled to take effect in early 2027.

Restrictions announced

Across the 27-member EU, the Greek government announced in early April that it intended to ban social media access for under-15s from January 2027.

In Germany, where Chancellor Friedrich Merz supports restricting or banning social media for children, an expert commission has proposed two options: gradual age-based restrictions or platform-specific restrictions.

Austria and Slovenia are also preparing legislation to prohibit access for under-14s and under-15s respectively.

A similar debate is underway in Sweden, where a government commission has proposed banning social media for under-15s by early 2028.

In Denmark, the government announced in October 2025 that it would propose banning “several social media platforms” for under-15s.

The Irish government has warned that it is considering legislation in the absence of an EU-wide decision.

Outside the EU, Norway plans to present a bill by the end of the year that would ban social media access for those under 16.

Britain is also looking to ban social media for under-16s by early 2027 under a measure planned by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The plan would also introduce a curfew for children aged 16 and 17.

Canada unveiled a bill on June 10 that would set the minimum age for social media access at 16.

New Zealand followed Australia’s lead in August with a bill that would prevent social media platforms from offering their services to under-16s.

Bills in parliament

In Portugal, lawmakers from the ruling right-wing party introduced a bill in February that would set the age of “digital majority” at 16 for independent access to social media platforms, online services, games and apps.

In Spain, a bill unveiled in March 2025 and currently under consideration would raise the minimum age for opening a social media account to 16.

Italy is also considering legislation that would ban social media access for under-15s.

In France, parliament approved legislation this summer to ban social media for under-15s, but the Constitutional Council, the country’s highest constitutional authority, struck it down on freedom-of-expression grounds.

President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to introduce a new “legally robust” law by spring 2027.