A growing number of countries are implementing or considering bans on social media use for children, with more than 20 nations now pursuing restrictions aimed at protecting minors from online harm.
The European Union is set to join the global trend, with an expert committee due to submit recommendations to the European Commission on Monday about a potential social media ban for children across the 27-nation bloc.
Most measures are recent and target children under 15 or 16 years of age, according to an AFP tally.
Current restrictions
Australia became one of the first major nations to implement a complete ban for under-16s in December 2025, whilst Brazil introduced legislation in March requiring platforms to link accounts of users under 16 to their parents and verify ages.
In China, where internet access is tightly controlled by the state, authorities have progressively restricted minors’ access to social media since 2019. Initial measures imposed time limits and curfews on online gaming before extending similar restrictions to social media and streaming platforms in 2023.
Indonesia banned social media for under-16s in March, followed by Malaysia in June with legislation excluding under-16s from major platforms.
Turkey passed legislation in April to bar under-15s from social media, with the law expected to take effect in late 2026. The United Arab Emirates announced a similar ban for under-15s last month, set for implementation within a year.
European Union moves
Within the EU, Greece announced in early April its intention to ban social media access for under-15s from 1 January 2027. Austria and Slovenia are preparing legislation to prohibit access for under-14s and under-15s respectively.
In Germany, where Chancellor Friedrich Merz supports restricting or banning social media for children, an expert commission has proposed two options: an age-graded ban or platform-specific restrictions.
Sweden’s government commission has proposed banning social media for under-15s by early 2028, whilst Ireland has warned it may legislate independently in the absence of an EU-wide decision.
Denmark announced in October 2025 it would propose banning several social media platforms for under-15s. Norway will present a bill by year’s end to ban access for those under 16.
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Legislation in progress
The United Kingdom is looking to ban social media for under-16s by early 2027, whilst Canada wants to set the minimum age for social media use at 16.
In France, a proposal to ban social media for children under 15 is working its way through parliament. The National Assembly approved the bill at first reading in January, but the Senate later amended it to target only the most harmful platforms. A final version is expected in coming weeks, with the government hoping for September implementation.
Portugal is considering legislation setting the age for independent platform access at 16, whilst Spain has proposed raising the minimum registration age from 14 to 16. Italy’s parliament is considering legislation banning social media use for children under 15.
Several Indian states are considering restrictions, with the government holding discussions with platforms over potential measures.
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