Global wave of social media bans for children grows

Governments around the world are increasingly moving to restrict social media access for children. Australia became the world’s first country to implement such measures in December 2025, banning social media for children under 16. Under the Australian law, social media companies must take steps to keep children off their services, and non-compliant companies may face penalties of up to $49.5 million AUD ($34.4 million USD). More recently, on June 15, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a ban on social media use for children under 16 years of age, which could be in place by spring 2027. The U.K. ban will also limit AI romantic companion chatbots—AI tools designed for simulated romantic relationships—requiring them to ensure they are only usable by people over 18.

These regulations and proposals aim to reduce risks like cyberbullying, addiction, mental health issues, and exposure to predators. However, the measures have raised concerns regarding privacy, specifically around invasive age verification and excessive government intervention. Critics, including Amnesty Tech, have reported that such bans are ineffective and ignore the realities of younger generations.

Despite these criticisms, a growing list of nations are moving forward with proposed legislation:

• Austria: Announced in late March that it will ban social media for children up to the age of 14, with draft legislation expected to be finalized by June.
• Canada: Introduced a digital safety bill—legislation aimed at protecting users online—in early June to ban social media for children under 16. Officials noted the bill could take a year to pass.
• Denmark: Announced in November 2025 support to ban platforms for children under 15, with plans that could become law as soon as mid-2026.
• France: Passed a bill in late January to ban social media for kids under 15, though the bill still has to get through the Senate.
• Germany: Discussed a proposal in early February to bar children under 16, though center-left coalition partners were hesitant to support an outright ban.
• Greece: Announced in April a ban for children under 15 starting January 2027 to tackle rising anxiety and sleep problems.
• Indonesia: Said in early March it is banning children under 16 from using social media.
• Malaysia: Plans to ban social media for children under 16, with implementation planned this year.
• Poland: Reported in February to be drafting legislation to ban children under 15.
• Slovenia: Announced in early February it is drafting legislation to prohibit children under 15 from accessing social media.
• Spain: Plans to ban social media for children under 16. The government also seeks to make executives personally accountable for hate speech.
• Turkey: Passed a bill in April to restrict access for children under 15, which the president must accept to pass into law.

Why it matters

Governments globally are implementing or proposing bans on social media for children to mitigate risks like cyberbullying and addiction, setting a regulatory precedent that other nations are monitoring.