Countries race to ban social media for children

countries moving – From Australia’s ban on under-16s to new proposals in the U.K. and across Europe and Asia, governments are moving to restrict social media access for children—while privacy and enforcement worries trail behind every draft law.

A teenager’s scroll habit is turning into a legal deadline in country after country. Over the past months. governments have announced plans to restrict social media access for children and teens—aimed at cutting the pressures and risks young users may face online. from cyberbullying and addiction to mental health harms and exposure to predators.

Australia is the reference point other capitals are watching after becoming the first to act at the end of last year. Now the U.K. has stepped into the spotlight too. Prime minister Keir Starmer announced on June 15 that the U.K. will impose a ban on social media use for children.

The push is spreading fast enough that it’s no longer just an idea. Yet it’s also sparking immediate friction: critics argue the bans are ineffective and that they can mean invasive age verification and excessive government intervention. Amnesty Tech is among those saying such bans ignore the realities of younger generations.

Australia

Australia moved first—banning social media for children under 16 in December 2025. The ban blocks children from using Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, and Kick. WhatsApp and YouTube Kids are not included.

The Australian government says social media companies must take steps to keep children off their services. Failure to comply can bring penalties of up to $49.5 million AUD ($34.4 million USD).

The government also says companies should use multiple verification methods to ensure users are older than 16 and that they can’t rely on users simply entering their own age.

Austria

Austria said in late March it will ban social media for children up to age 14. Draft legislation is expected to be finalized by June.

Canada

In early June, Canada introduced a digital safety bill that would ban social media for children under 16. Under the legislation, social media giants could sidestep the ban if they demonstrate they have policies to protect young users. Officials said it could take a year for the bill to pass.

Denmark

Denmark plans to ban social media platforms for children under 15. In November 2025, the Danish government said it had secured support for the ban from three governing coalition parties and two opposition parties in parliament.

The plan could become law as soon as mid-2026, according to the Associated Press. The Danish digital affairs ministry is also launching a “digital evidence” app that includes age verification tools that may be used as part of the ban.

France

In late January, French lawmakers passed a bill to ban social media for kids under 15. President Emmanuel Macron backed the measure, saying it’s aimed at protecting children from excessive screen time. The bill still needs to pass through the country’s Senate before a final vote in the lower house.

Germany

In early February, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservatives discussed a proposal to bar children under 16 from using social media, reported by Reuters. There were signs, though, that Merz’s center-left coalition partners were hesitant to support an outright ban.

Greece

Greece is setting a date: Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced in April that the country will ban access to social media for children under 15 starting January 2027. Mitsotakis said the move targets rising anxiety and sleep problems among children, along with the addictive design of social media.

Indonesia

Indonesia said in early March that it’s banning children under 16 from using social media and other popular online platforms. The plan starts with platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox.

Malaysia

Malaysia said in November 2025 that it plans to ban social media for children under 16 and to implement the ban this year.

Poland

In February, Bloomberg reported that Poland’s ruling party is drafting legislation to ban children under 15 from using social media.

Slovenia

Slovenia is drafting legislation to prohibit children under 15 from accessing social media, the country’s deputy prime minister announced in early February. The government wants to regulate social networks where content is shared, citing platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram.

Spain

Spain’s prime minister announced in early February that the country plans to ban social media for children under 16, but the ban still needs parliamentary approval.

Spain’s government is also seeking to create a law that would make social media executives personally accountable for hate speech on their platforms.

Turkey

In April, Turkey’s parliament passed a bill to restrict social media access for children under 15. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan must now accept the bill for it to pass into law.

UK

The U.K. has now joined the list. Prime minister Keir Starmer announced on June 15 that his government will impose a ban on social media use for children under 16.

The ban would apply across a range of platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal will not be included. There are also limitations on AI tools: AI “romantic companion” chatbots will have to ensure they’re only usable by people over 18.

Experts have questioned whether a blanket ban would be effective. Starmer acknowledged the challenges but said he believes it’s possible to enforce, adding that a ban could be in place by spring 2027.

Across all these countries. the stated aim is consistent: reduce pressures and risks for young users as online life gets more attention from regulators. The friction is too. In interviews and advocacy. privacy concerns and the practicality of age checks keep surfacing—especially when the policy leans on age verification and sweeping platform lists rather than smaller. targeted changes.

The result is a fast-moving patchwork: some countries have moved into bans already. others are drafting. and several are still moving through legislative timelines. But the direction is clear—governments are treating children’s social media access as something to be governed by law. not left to app settings.

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