Australia became the first country to impose a nationwide ban on social media for children under 16 in December, blocking access to platforms including TikTok, Alphabet’s YouTube and Meta’s Facebook and Instagram in one of the world’s strictest regulatory moves targeting Big Tech.
The law, which took effect Dec. 10, 2025, requires major platforms to prevent minors from accessing their services or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($34.9 million). It has since become a reference point for other governments weighing similar restrictions.
Britain is planning to introduce its own ban on social media for under-16s, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer indicating the measure could be approved by Christmas and take effect in 2027. The government is also pushing companies to prevent children from sharing explicit images online, with potential penalties if firms fail to comply. Proposed rules would require platforms and device makers such as Apple and Google to implement automated tools to detect and block nude content for minors, while allowing adults access through age verification.
China has already implemented a “minor mode” system requiring device-level controls and app-based limits on screen time tailored to age groups. Denmark announced plans in November to ban social media for children under 15, while allowing parental permission for limited access from age 13.
France’s National Assembly approved legislation in January banning social media access for users under 15, although the measure still requires Senate approval. Children aged 13 to 16 may access platforms only with parental consent, a system child advocates say remains insufficient to protect minors.
Greece is close to announcing a similar restriction for children under 15, according to a senior government source cited by Reuters. India’s chief economic adviser has also called social media platforms “predatory” and urged age-based limits, while Malaysia has begun restricting account creation for users under 16.
Other countries are advancing comparable measures. Norway is considering raising the minimum consent age for social media to 15 and developing an absolute age limit. Poland and Slovenia are drafting legislation to ban access for children under 15, while Spain is preparing stricter rules requiring platforms to enforce age verification. Sweden’s government-appointed commission has recommended a minimum age of 15 for social media use.
Turkey’s parliament passed legislation in April banning social media use for children under 15, alongside broader digital platform regulations. In the United States, lawmakers are advancing proposals such as the Kids Online Safety Act, which would require platforms to reduce harms to minors, alongside existing restrictions under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
At the European level, the European Commission has pledged stronger protections through upcoming legislation targeting addictive platform design, while the European Parliament has backed a resolution calling for an EU-wide ban on social media for children under 16 without parental consent, and under 13 entirely.
Most major platforms, including TikTok, Meta and Snapchat, already set a minimum user age of 13, but child protection groups say enforcement is weak and that large numbers of underage users remain active globally, fueling continued pressure for stricter regulation.
