Countries Around the World Move to Ban Social Media for Children

The Rise of Social Media Bans: A Global Trend

Over the past months, several countries have announced plans to restrict social media access for children and teens. Australia became the first to implement such measures at the end of last year, setting a precedent that other countries are now closely watching. France is now the latest country to announce such a measure.

The Regulations and Concerns

The regulations and proposals being brought forth by governments around the world aim to reduce the pressures and risks that young users may face on social media, which include cyberbullying, addiction, mental health issues, and exposure to predators. However, there are concerns about privacy regarding invasive age verification and excessive government intervention. Critics, including Amnesty Tech, have said such bans are ineffective and that they ignore the realities of younger generations.

A List of Countries Considering or Implementing Social Media Bans

We’ve compiled a list of countries that are considering or have already moved forward with bans on social media for young users.

Australia

Australia became the world’s first country to ban 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. It notably doesn’t include WhatsApp or YouTube Kids.

Austria

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

Canada

The Canadian government introduced a digital safety bill in early June 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.

Denmark

Denmark is set to ban social media platforms for children under 15. The Danish government announced in November 2025 that it had secured support for the ban from three governing coalition parties and two opposition parties in parliament.

France

France passed a law on July 21 banning access to social media for anyone under 15. The law could go into effect as soon as September 1.

Germany

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

Greece

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced in April that the country is going to ban access to social media for children under 15 starting January 2027.

Indonesia

Indonesia said in early March that it's banning children under the age of 16 from using social media and other popular online platforms.

Malaysia

The Malaysian government said in November 2025 that it plans to ban social media for children under 16. The country plans to implement the ban this year.

Poland

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

Slovenia

Slovenia is drafting legislation to prohibit children under 15 from accessing social media, the country's deputy prime minister announced in early February.

Spain

Spain's prime minister announced in early February that the country plans to ban social media for children under the age of 16.

Turkey

The Turkish parliament in April passed a bill to restrict social media access for children under 15.

U.K.

U.K. prime minister Keir Starmer announced on June 15 that his government will impose a ban on social media use for children under 16 years of age.