Global Child Social Media Bans are accelerating as governments across Australia, Europe, Asia, and the Americas move to limit children’s access to major platforms over growing health and safety concerns.

Global Child Social Media Bans Gain Momentum

Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, with restrictions applying from December 10, 2025. Platforms that fail to comply could face penalties of up to A$49.5 million.

Several other countries are now following similar paths with their own age-based restrictions, parental consent rules, or new enforcement systems.

Europe Pushes Stronger Youth Protections

Across Europe, multiple governments are advancing stricter controls.

Austria said it will ban social media for children up to age 14. France’s National Assembly approved legislation to block children under 15 from social media, pending further votes. Greece plans to ban access for children under 15 from January 1, 2027. Spain announced a ban for minors under 16 with age verification requirements. Norway plans to present legislation banning children from using social media until age 16.

Portugal has approved a bill requiring explicit parental consent for children aged 13 to 16, while Poland and Slovenia are also preparing similar restrictions.

Asia Expands Platform Controls

China has already implemented a “minor mode” system with device-level restrictions and app-specific limits based on age. India saw Karnataka become the first state to ban social media for children under 16, while Goa and Andhra Pradesh are considering similar measures.

Indonesia said accounts owned by children under 16 on high-risk platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Roblox would be gradually deactivated. Malaysia also announced plans for a ban starting in 2026. Turkey passed legislation that includes restricting access for children under 15.

How Existing Rules Compare

In the United States, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act limits data collection from children under 13 without parental consent. Some states have also introduced parental consent laws, though several face legal challenges.

At the EU level, the European Parliament backed a non-binding resolution calling for a minimum age of 16 on social media, while also supporting lower harmonized limits for some digital services.

Why the Debate Is Growing

Governments say these measures are driven by concerns around mental health, online bullying, addictive platform design, and child safety. Meanwhile, platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, and Snapchat say users must be at least 13 to sign up, though child protection advocates argue those controls remain insufficient.

Don’t miss out on our latest news—follow us for the latest AI news, breakthroughs, and insights that matter.