February 6 – Australia becomes the first country in the world to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet’s YouTube and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook.
From Australia to Europe, countries have moved to ban children from using social mediaThe ban comes amid growing concerns about the impact of social media on children’s health and safety.
Below is a summary of what countries and companies are doing to regulate social media access.
A landmark law in Australia forces major social media platforms to block minors under the age of 16 from December 10, 2025, one of the toughest rules in the world targeting major technology platforms.
Companies that fail to comply could face fines of up to A$49.5 million
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Britain Britain is considering an Australian-style ban on social media to better protect children online, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said. The government has not specified an age limit, but is considering whether the current digital age of consent is set too low.
China
China’s cyberspace regulator has set up a so-called “minor mode” program that requires device-level restrictions and app-specific rules to limit screen time depending on age.
Denmark Denmark said in November it would ban social media for children under 15, while parents can provide access to certain platforms for children under 13.
FRANCE France’s National Assembly approved a law in January banning children under 15 from social media amid growing concerns about online bullying and mental health risks. The bill must pass the Senate before a final vote in the lower house.
Germany
Minors between the ages of 13 and 16 are only allowed to use social media with their parents’ consent. But child protection advocates say the controls are inadequate.
Greece Greece is “very close” to announcing a social media ban for children under 15, a senior government source told Reuters on February 3.
India India’s chief economic adviser called for age restrictions on social media platforms in January, describing them as “predatory” in how they keep users engaged online, with the tourist state of Goa saying it is weighing restrictions similar to those in Australia.
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Italy
Children under 14 require parental consent to sign up for social media accounts, although no consent is required above that age.
Malaysia Malaysia said in November it would ban social media for users under 16 starting in 2026.
Norway
The Norwegian government proposed in October 2024 that the age at which children can consent to the terms required to use social media is 13 to 15, although parents will still be allowed to sign off on their behalf if they are under the age limit.
The government has also initiated legislation to set the minimum age for social media use at 15 years.
Slovenia Slovenia is drafting a law that would ban children under 15 from accessing social media, Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arkon told a press conference on February 6.
Spain Spain will ban social media access for minors under 16 and require platforms to implement age verification systems, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in early February.
It was unclear whether the proposed ban would require approval by the country’s highly fragmented lower house.
US The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act prevents companies from collecting personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. Several states have passed laws requiring parental consent of minors to access social media, but they have faced court challenges on free speech grounds.
EU Law In November the European Parliament agreed to a resolution making social media calls for a minimum age of 16 not legally binding.
It calls for a harmonized EU digital age limit of 13 for social media access and an age limit of 13 for video-sharing services and “AI companions”.
Tech industry
Social media platforms including TikTok, Facebook and Snapchat say people must be at least 13 to sign up.
Child protection advocates say the controls are inadequate, and official data in several European countries show that children as young as 13 have social media accounts.
This article is subject to text modification This is generated from an automated news agency feed
