Introduction

Since Australia introduced a social media ban for under-16s in late 2025, governments around the world have begun enacting or considering strict age verification requirements or age limits for children.

Online child safety represents a common concern. But bans or restrictions generate heated debate.

Supporters contend they are needed to protect children from dangerous abuse. Young people online can be exposed to bullying, adult content, hate speech, and grooming or other exploitative and abusive behaviors. In Europe, 75% of surveyed citizens agree that governments should set minimum ages for social media. In the US, juries have found social media companies liable for harming young users with addictive design features that contributed to mental health distress.

Critics counter that the bans threaten freedom of expression and privacy and are ineffective at protecting youth. In March 2026, 371 privacy and security experts released an open letter raising concerns over how to enforce social media bans effectively and securely. UNICEF argues that social media can help young people access their rights — including to self-expression, privacy, and access to information — and advocates for safety by design and digital literacy.

Australian eSafety Commission Julie Inman Grant conceded that the country’s social media age restriction has been difficult to enforce and has yet to result in decreased harm — or in keeping kids offline.

Around the globe, governments are taking different approaches. Some are introducing mandatory age verification systems. Others are strengthening parental consent and control. Others focus instead on digital literacy programs or enforcing rules targeting specific platforms. In May 2026, G7 Digital Ministers agreed to a set of common principles for online child safety that prioritizes parental controls, data privacy and security, digital literacy, age verification mechanisms, and addressing AI risks.

In order to chart the debate, CEPA has created a map to help situate the steps a range of countries — and the EU — are taking in the effort to address this challenge.

This map was originally published on April 22, 2026, and updated on June 16, 2026.

*This information is not exhaustive, but a representative selection of cases in a highly dynamic policy context.

Countries

Africa

Egypt

Egypt’s House of Representatives has announced plans to draft legislation restricting young people’s social media use. In a context in which the Internet is heavily controlled, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi speaks about social media age restrictions as a way to combat “digital chaos.” Whether the legislation will include an age restriction — or when the legislation will be introduced — remains unknown.

Kenya

Kenya’s Communications Authority released child safety guidelines last year encouraging mobile operators, broadcasters, and app and content providers to impose age restrictions. At the same time, the guidelines also emphasize the importance of children’s right to access information and freely express themselves.

South Africa

Some sources have reported that government officials are considering restricting access to major platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, but there have yet to be any formal announcements or legislative proposals.

Americas

Brazil

Brazil enacted the Digital Statute of the Child and Adolescent in September 2025. It requires social media companies to set up parental controls — users under 16 must link their accounts to their guardians’ — and age verification techniques to ensure that under-18s cannot access inappropriate content and bans manipulative design features. The law blocks tech firms from using minors’ data for targeted advertising, but does not establish a social media age limit. It took effect in March 2026.

Canada

In June 2026, Canada introduced its Safe Social Media Act. The proposal would ban under-16s from accessing social media platforms — unless those platforms meet safety criteria outlined by the government. The Safe Social Media Act must still pass through the House of Commons and the Senate before it becomes law.

Canada also passed a law in 2025 making it illegal to make pornographic material available to anyone under 18.

Ecuador

Ecuador’s National Assembly is considering a proposal to ban social media for children under 15. The proposal, introduced by ruling party legislator Katherine Pacheco in February 2026, would fine non-compliant platforms up to 5% of their local annual revenue. Exceptions would apply to educational platforms and certified child-safe versions with parental controls.

Trinidad and Tobago

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the government is considering limiting social media access for young people under 12 years old. The announcement came after Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon called for laws to protect children online.

United States of America

Although no federal legislation restricting social media access exists, Members of Congress have introduced several bills. For instance, the Kids Online Safety Act  would require platforms to strengthen privacy settings for children and provide under-18s with additional safety and wellbeing options. The Kids Off Social Media Act would limit children under-13 from creating social media accounts.

Several states have put forward legislation. In February 2026, California Governor Gavin Newsom spoke in favor of restricting social media use for under-16s, and a bipartisan group of California lawmakers introduced legislation calling for a minimum age to create a social media account. In Virginia, a new law took effect on January 1, 2026, that requires social media platforms to verify that users are at least 16 years old and limit under-16s to one hour of social media use per day

In mid-2025, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen signed a package of bills aimed at protecting children’s personal information online, giving parents greater control over account settings, and requiring social media design features to be made less addictive. Starting in the middle of 2026, under-18s will require parental consent to create a social media account.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a prohibition on under-14s creating social media accounts on most platforms. In Utah, the Minor Protection in Social Media Act is held up in court. A Texas law seeking to require app stores to verify users’ ages and require parental consent for app purchases was blocked by a federal judge in late 2025. A similar rule was signed into law by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey this month.

Social media companies are also facing lawsuits about child safety. In March 2026, a California jury found Meta and YouTube negligent in their deliberate design of addictive platforms for children, and another in New Mexico ruled that Meta failed to protect children from sexual exploitation. TikTok and Snap settled before the California trial. More than 40 state attorneys general have filed similar lawsuits against Meta, and a federal trial representing school districts is set to begin in June of this year.

Asia

China

China launched its “minor mode” setting last year, which increases parental control over their children’s online activities. Minor mode includes recommended usage limits by age, blocks non-essential apps between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., and issues reminders to take a break from the device every 30 minutes. Minor mode also includes the option to block messages from strangers or specific users and allows parents to customize the default restrictions.

China requires platforms to recommend age-appropriate content and implement content filters for children. The Chinese authorities already heavily censor the Internet, so child safety efforts in China are pursued in this restrictive context.

India

Indian officials are debating a tiered system of social media age restrictions for children under 18, with a draft proposal expected to be put forward in summer 2026. The Ministry of Finance’s annual Economic Survey included social media age restrictions as an area of concern. In mid-February 2026, Indian Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the government is having conversations with tech companies about age-related social media restrictions.

Several Indian states are considering action. In Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu stated that a rule banning children under-13 from accessing social media will be introduced in the next 90 days. Goan Tourism and IT Minister Rohan Khaunte announced that the state is looking into the feasibility of a social media ban. In Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah spoke about a social media ban for children under-16 — although no details about enforcement were provided.

Indonesia

Effective March 2026, the Indonesian government has restricted children under 16 from accessing social media. The limitations do not represent a complete ban; restrictions depend on specific platforms’ level of risk. Children under-16 can no longer use YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Roblox, or livestreaming platform Bigo Live — all deemed high-risk by the government. Low-risk platforms are accessible to children aged 13 and up. Platforms will be required to gradually comply starting on March 28, 2026.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, which has a tightly controlled Internet, is considering a proposed amendment that would ban under-16s from creating social media accounts, except for messenger apps. The amendment has not yet become law.

Malaysia

Malaysia’s Online Safety Act, passed in 2025, bans youth under 16 years old from creating social media accounts.

Pakistan

Senators Syed Masroor Ahsan and Sarmad Ali introduced legislation in 2025 that would prohibit under-16s from using social media. After significant pushback, the senators withdrew the bill and promised revisions, including lowering the minimum age to 13 or 14. A new bill has not yet been proposed.

The Philippines

Multiple social media age restriction bills have been introduced in the Philippines, including one in July 2025 to block under-18s from using social media, one in February 2026 establishing 13 as the minimum age for social media access, and another in April 2026 banning under-16s. None have officially become law.

Singapore

Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority released a new code of practice in 2025 requiring app stores to implement age verification systems before users can download apps meant for adults, such as dating apps. The code applies to Apple, Google, Huawei, Samsung, and Microsoft’s app stores. Google has announced several age verification measures that apply across the company’s products, including YouTube. Instagram has restricted features for those under 18. 

Tajikistan

Dilnoza Ahmadzoda, an MP in Tajikistan, introduced a proposal to ban social media access for under-14s in late 2025. The Internet in Tajikistan is already heavily censored, and many media outlets and social media platforms are blocked in the country.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE’s Child Digital Safety Law requires platforms to implement age verification systems that differ based on the platform’s level of risk and potential impact on children. Platforms have until January 1, 2027, to comply.

Vietnam

Vietnam’s Internet is heavily censored. Vietnam began requiring parents in 2024 to register their under-16s’ social media accounts and supervise what they share online. In early 2026, Vietnam’s ruling party issued a directive that requires social media firms to implement identity checks and age restrictions for minors.

Europe

Austria

Austria agreed on a social media ban for under-14s in March 2026. The government expects to have a draft proposal in June 2026.

Belgium

After the country’s Superior Health Council released a report in December 2025 on the impact of social media on young people’s wellbeing, Belgium announced it would consider implementing social media age restrictions. At the same time, the Belgian government declined to sign a declaration of support for a “digital age of majority” in late 2025. All other European Union countries signed, except for Estonia.

In April 2026, the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders introduced a new restriction for under-13s, banning them from accessing social media platforms deemed “harmful” by the Flemish Regulator for Media.

Bulgaria

In May 2026, Bulgaria’s conservative political party, GERB, proposed amendments to the country’s Child Protection Act to ban social media platforms for users under 16 and prohibit the use of cell phones in schools. Children between 13 and 16 would be allowed to use social media platforms only with parental consent.

Bulgaria does not have legislation establishing a minimum age for social media access, but will be required to comply with EU regulation.

Croatia

Croatia does not have legislation establishing a minimum age for social media access but will be required to comply with EU regulation.

Cyprus

Cyprus proposed a ban on social media use for minors under 15 in April 2026. Age verification tools for Cypriot minors will be integrated into the country’s existing Digital Citizen app.

Czech Republic

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš and Vice Prime Minister Karel Havlíček have both spoken in favor of a proposed social media ban for under-15s.

Denmark

The Danish government proposed a plan to ban under-15s from using social media platforms in late 2025, and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen spoke in favor of the ban. If the proposed agreement is adopted, parents would be able to override the rule and allow children between 13 and 15 to have a social media account. The plan could become law as soon as mid-2026.

Estonia

Estonia has pushed back on the EU’s plans to restrict young people’s social media access. It declined to sign a declaration of support for a “digital age of majority.” Instead, the government promotes digital education for young people.

European Union

The European Parliament approved a resolution in 2025 by a 483-92 vote recommending a minimum age of 16 for social media use. Parents would be free to give consent for their children between 13 and 15 to access social media. But the resolution is non-binding.

In October 2025, all EU member states except for Estonia and Belgium signed a declaration in support of a “digital age of majority.” Belgium declined to sign because Flanders, the country’s Dutch-speaking northern region, vetoed the declaration. Estonian Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta said that, “Estonia believes in an information society and including young people in the information society,” and would prefer to rely on existing protections such as the GDPR to manage risk.

The European Commission has also released guidelines for online child protection under the Digital Services Act. Among other measures, the guidelines call for modifying recommendation algorithms and setting minors’ accounts to private automatically. It also piloted an age verification mechanism in several member states, which Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed was ready for broader rollout in April 2026.

The EU’s Special Panel on child safety online is expected to release its recommendations for how to protect minors online in the summer of 2026.

In March 2026, the European Parliament failed to renew a temporary law allowing social media companies to scan content on their platforms for child sexual abuse material over data privacy concerns.

Finland

Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has spoken out in favor of a social media ban for young people under-15, but legislation has yet to be proposed. A Ministry of Social Affairs and Health working group established in February 2026 is examining the issue.

France

The French National Assembly and Senate both passed social media age restriction bills in early 2026 — but they look different. The National Assembly bill would ban social media for all children under 15. The Senate’s bill would enforce an under-15 ban on all social media platforms deemed to be harmful or high-risk, while under-15s could use other platforms deemed less problematic with parental consent. The two versions of the age restriction bills will have to be reconciled before it can be adopted and enforced.

President Emmanuel Macron has publicly thrown his support behind the proposed age restrictions. At the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi in February 2026, President Macron referred to the group of countries planning to implement social media bans as a “new ‘coalition of the willing.’”

Germany

Members of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s party have spoken in favor of a social media ban for under-16s, but no draft bills have been proposed.

Greece

In April, Greece proposed a draft bill to prohibit under-15s from using social media. If passed — and most reports expect it to this summer — it will come into effect in January 2027. The Ministry of Digital Governance would use the state-built Kids Wallet app, introduced last year, to enforce the ban.

Hungary

A draft proposal to amend Hungary’s Consumer Protection Act to implement age restrictions for under-16s was submitted in May 2026. If passed, minors under 13 would be barred from accessing platforms deemed high-risk, while minors between 13 and 16 can access those platforms with restrictions.

Iceland

Iceland’s Minister of Education and Children, Inga Sæland, supports a social media age limit of 15 and has said that legislative proposals are at the “drawing board stage.” Former deputy MP Skúli Bragi Geirdal submitted a resolution to establish a social media age requirement of 15 or 16 in late 2025, but the resolution did not become law. Iceland signed an EU declaration in support of a “digital age of majority.”

Ireland

After the UK announced its social media ban in June 2026, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that while Ireland is “looking at” social media age restrictions for minors under 16, the country’s policy is to adhere to EU positions on the topic.

Earlier this year, Minister for Communications Patrick O’Donovan, said that he intends to propose a new social media age verification system and that children’s online safety will be a focus of Ireland’s EU Presidency, which will begin in July 2026.

Italy

The Italian government has introduced a bill that would restrict social media use for children under 15, including restrictions on child influencers. A 2018 law requires under-14s to have parental consent to access social media. A class action lawsuit filed by the Italian Parents’ Movement (MOIGE) aims to limit social media use by children under 14 and force the platforms to strengthen age-verification policies.

Latvia

Latvia does not have legislation establishing a minimum age for social media access but will be required to comply with EU regulation.

Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein does not have legislation establishing a minimum age for social media access but may be required to comply with EU regulation as a member of the European Economic Area.

Lithuania

Lithuanian MP Daiva Ulbinatė introduced a proposal to require minors under 16 to have parental consent to access social media in April 2026. Parliament is evaluating the proposal.

Luxembourg

The Luxembourg parliament debated a social media age restriction in late January 2026, but the government would prefer EU-wide rules. In May 2026, Prime Minister Luc Frieden stated that Luxembourg will move forward with national legislation if EU-wide rules do not materialize by the end of the year.  

Malta

Malta’s Prime Minister, Robert Abela, announced that under-13s will soon be subject to social media restrictions. The soon-to-be-introduced regulations may later be extended to older age groups.

Montenegro

Two parliament members introduced a bill to ban social media use for children under 13 and to require parental consent for children between 13 and 16. The bill would also ban sexualized and deep-fake content featuring children.

Netherlands

The Dutch government is pushing to raise the minimum social media age to 15 across Europe, but the country does not have its own age restriction law.

The Dutch government has released guidelines recommending that children under 15 do not use social media — but these guidelines are not legally binding. The guidelines distinguish social media platforms from “social interaction platforms” that children can use to communicate; the government’s recommendation is that children 13 years of age and older should learn to use messaging platforms with parental supervision.

The government is also working to ban minors under 16 from working as social media influencers.

Norway

Norway plans to introduce a bill prohibiting under-16s from accessing social media in parliament by the end of 2026. The announcement came after the government held a public consultation to gather feedback on the potential new law.

In October 2025, Norway signed a declaration in support of a “digital age of majority,” along with most EU countries.

Poland

Poland’s governing Civic Coalition is drafting a law to ban social media for under-15s. Poland plans to update its mObywatel digital ID app to allow for age verification that would enable social media age restrictions.

Polish Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski also proposed a bill that would require websites offering pornography to implement age verification mechanisms to restrict minors’ access.

Portugal

In February 2026, the Portuguese Parliament voted in favor of a new regulation limiting social media access for minors under 16, with exceptions for parental consent. The final vote has yet to occur.

Romania

Romania’s Digital Adulthood Law, approved by the Senate and still under consideration by the Chamber of Deputies, would prohibit children under 16 from accessing social media without parental consent. If passed, parents will also be empowered to suspend their children’s accounts.

Russia

Russian parliamentarian Andrei Svintsov’s call for restricting social media for under-14s received little support, and Anton Gorelkin, first deputy chairman of Russia’s State Duma information policy committee, said parliament is not developing a social media ban for children.

Russia’s information environment is heavily censored, and the government has banned or restricted platforms such as Roblox, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube.

Slovakia

A draft law banning social media access for under-16s was introduced to the Slovak Parliament in May 2026.

Slovenia

The government is drafting legislation to ban children under-15 years old from using social media.

Spain

Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, plans to prohibit social media use for children under 16 years of age.

Sweden

Sweden does not have legislation establishing a minimum age for social media access, but will be required to comply with EU regulation. In June 2026, a government-appointed commission recommended barring social media use for under-15s.

Switzerland

After Australia’s age restrictions took effect, Swiss officials began considering a similar ban. But the Swiss Federal Commission for Children and Youth Affairs came out against the ban, arguing it could violate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to access information and education.

Turkey

The Turkish Parliament passed a law banning minors under 15 from using social media in April 2026.

United Kingdom

In June 2026, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the British government plans to restrict social media access for under-16s. The government will introduce the draft regulations to Parliament by the end of the year. If passed, a ban would enter into force in early 2027.

Earlier this year, the UK government opened a consultation to explore a social media ban for young people under 16. Some 60 Labour MPs have signed an open letter advocating for the legislation. In addition, the UK’s 2023 Online Safety Act obliges websites that host adult content to conduct age verification of users.  

Oceania

Australia

Australia became the first country to implement a comprehensive social media ban in December 2025. The Online Safety Amendment Bill blocks under-16s from making accounts on social media apps, including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, X, and Facebook. Under-16s who already have social media accounts are not permitted to keep them. Parents cannot overrule the ban. Since coming into force, social media companies have deactivated more than 4.5 million accounts. Tech companies that fail to comply face fines and penalties.

Fiji

Fiji’s Taskforce on Social Media Deferment, co-chaired by Minister for Information Lynda Tabuya and Minister for Communications Ioane Naivalurua, held its first meeting in February 2026. Ministers Tabuya and Naivalurua spoke in favor of proposing legislation to ban social media for under-16s, but no draft legislation has been proposed as of June 2026.

New Zealand

New Zealand’s government introduced a bill to restrict social media access for under-16s in late 2025, modelled on Australia’s. But the bill is still being debated and has not yet become law.

Jenna Presta is the Senior Program Officer for the Tech Policy Program at the Center for European Policy Analysis.

Maria-Doriana Gheorghe and Victoria Paketci provided research. Maria-Doriana and Victoria are both interns with the Tech Policy Program. Victoria is a master’s student at Georgetown University, and Maria-Doriana is completing a master’s in international governance and diplomacy at Sciences Po in Paris.

Bandwidth is CEPA’s online journal dedicated to advancing transatlantic cooperation on tech policy. All opinions expressed on Bandwidth are those of the author alone and may not represent those of the institutions they represent or the Center for European Policy Analysis. CEPA maintains a strict intellectual independence policy across all its projects and publications.