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From Australia to Europe, countries move to curb children's social media access
Australia has become the first country to ban social media for under-16s, with penalties reaching A$49.5 million, prompting similar moves or proposals across Europe, Asia and beyond. Domestic lawmakers are advancing tougher enforcement powers amid investigations of major platforms, while political parties differ on the approach. Platforms already set a minimum age of 13, though advocates say many younger children still hold accounts.
Australia became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16 when a landmark law took effect on December 10, 2025, blocking access to platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. As reported by Al-Monitor, The Economic Times and the Jerusalem Post, companies that fail to comply face penalties of up to A$49.5 million. The measure ranks among the toughest regulations directed at major technology platforms and has drawn international attention as governments weigh similar steps amid concerns over children's health and safety.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted the restrictions at the United Nations General Assembly in November, according to PerthNow. Since implementation, Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has issued warnings over compliance failures and become involved in legal action with tech companies. In May she sought additional powers to obtain evidence during investigations. Communications Minister Anika Wells introduced amendments in June to strengthen the ban; those changes passed the House of Representatives and were referred to a Senate inquiry on July 1.
Wells told parliament the amendments responded to concerns that platforms were attempting to circumvent the rules. She said the commissioner is investigating five major platforms—Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube—and accused the companies of using "dirty tricks" drawn from the "big-tech playbook." No company has yet been fined despite the multi-million-dollar penalties available.
A parliamentary committee chaired by Senator Varun Ghosh recommended that the new laws be passed. The committee welcomed higher penalties and identified a proposed Digital Duty of Care as a priority. Parliamentarians are due to return to Canberra on September 7.
Enforcement debate inside Australia
PerthNow reported differing views within the Senate inquiry. Ghosh acknowledged opposition from the Greens, the Coalition and independent Senator Fatima Payman. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young called for greater regulation of "toxic algorithms" and implementation of the Digital Duty of Care. Payman's dissenting report contained 11 recommendations, including a declaration that the bill should not be passed; she urged stronger action against algorithms, said social media was altering users' "brain chemistry," and called for a ban on big tech collecting children's data to prevent targeted advertising and profiling of under-18s.
Coalition shadow Communications Minister Sarah Henderson accused Wells of trying to "rush" the changes without proper transparency and disputed a claim about document shredding, saying it lacked factual basis. Henderson expressed disappointment that the committee recommended passage without amendment. Ghosh indicated that some members had lost sight of the review's intended scope.
Moves across Europe and beyond
Multiple governments have advanced or proposed restrictions, according to accounts carried by Al-Monitor, The Economic Times and the Jerusalem Post. Britain plans to approve a ban for under-16s by Christmas, with the measure expected to take effect around spring 2027, as stated by Keir Starmer on June 15. Starmer also said big tech firms must stop children circulating nude images on their phones or face legislation requiring Apple and Google to build or activate technical solutions on smartphones and tablets to detect and block such images for children; adults would retain access through age verification.
Denmark announced in November a ban for under-15s, with parental permission possible down to age 13. France's parliament approved a similar under-15 ban in July, but the country's top court blocked the bill on August 14, citing freedom of expression. Germany permits minors aged 13 to 16 to use social media only with parental consent; child protection advocates say the controls remain insufficient. Italy requires parental consent for under-14s.
Greece is "very close" to announcing an under-15 ban, a senior government source said on February 3. Poland's ruling party is preparing legislation to ban under-15s and hold platforms responsible for age verification, announced on February 27. Slovenia is drafting a law to prohibit under-15 access, Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arcon said on February 6. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in February the country would ban under-16 access with mandatory age verification; Digital Transformation Minister Oscar Lopez later stated Spain would push new rules for social networks and AI despite tech industry lobbying. Sweden's government-appointed commission recommended a minimum age of 15 on June 2, with platforms responsible for verification, according to investigator Lisa Englund Krafft. Norway proposed raising the consent age to 15 in 2024 and is working on an absolute minimum age of 15. Turkey's parliament passed legislation banning under-15 use on April 24.
At the European level, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on May 12 that the EU would target "addictive and harmful design practices" in a planned Digital Fairness Act. The European Parliament in November agreed on a resolution calling for an EU-wide ban on access for children under 16 without parental consent and an outright ban for those younger than 13.
Asia, Middle East and other jurisdictions
China's cyberspace regulator operates a "minor mode" programme imposing device-level restrictions and app-specific screen-time limits by age. Malaysia began barring under-16s from registering on social media platforms on June 1. India's chief economic adviser called for age restrictions in January, describing platforms as "predatory." The United Arab Emirates approved a resolution setting the minimum age at 15 on June 18, becoming the first Arab country to do so.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has proposed a ban for under-16s, with fines of up to 10 percent of a platform's global revenue and requirements for age verification using existing account data, facial technology and digital identity documents. In the United States, legislation known as the Kids Online Safety Act cleared a political hurdle after Senator Ted Cruz said on May 12 he would support it; the bill would require companies to exercise reasonable care in designing features that could harm minors. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act already restricts collection of personal data from children under 13 without parental consent, and several states have passed parental-consent laws that have faced free-speech court challenges.
Platform rules and ongoing concerns
Social media platforms including TikTok, Facebook and Snapchat require users to be at least 13 to sign up. Child protection advocates maintain that these controls are insufficient, and official data in several European countries show large numbers of children under 13 hold accounts. Governments continue to cite mental-health risks, online bullying and exposure to harmful content as drivers of the regulatory wave that began with Australia's ban.
Perspectives
Australian government ministers and the Senate committee majority argue that tougher penalties, expanded investigatory powers and a Digital Duty of Care are necessary to close compliance gaps and protect children after platforms allegedly sought to undermine the original ban. Opposition voices, including Greens and independent senators, contend that the legislation should go further by regulating algorithms and prohibiting data collection on minors, or that it should not pass in its current form. Coalition senators have criticised the process as rushed and insufficiently transparent, while expressing disappointment at the recommendation to pass the bill without amendment.
How each outlet told it
Al-Monitor
Framing: Headline emphasizes the global movement to curb children's social media access, focusing on countries and regions. — Informational and neutral, supported by the factbox format listing country policies without editorial judgment.
Facts Included:
Australia became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16, with a landmark law effective December 10, 2025, and penalties up to A$49.5 million.
Britain plans to approve a ban for under-16s by Christmas, effective around Spring 2027, as stated by ex-Prime Minister Keir Starmer on June 15.
Britain also requires tech firms to stop children circulating nude images, with technical solutions by Apple and Google, and age verification for adults.
China has a 'minor mode' programme with device-level restrictions and screen time limits.
Denmark announced a ban for under-15s in November, with parental access down to age 13.
France's top court blocked a bill banning under-15 access on August 14, citing freedom of expression; parliament had approved it in July.
Germany allows minors aged 13-16 only with parental consent; advocates say controls are insufficient.
Greece is 'very close' to announcing a ban for under-15s, per a senior government source on February 3.
India's chief economic adviser called for age restrictions in January, describing platforms as 'predatory'.
Italy requires parental consent for under-14s.
Malaysia began barring under-16s from registering on social media on June 1.
New Zealand proposes a ban with fines up to 10% of global revenue and age verification methods.
Norway proposed raising consent age to 15 in 2024 and is working on an absolute minimum age of 15.
Poland's ruling party is preparing legislation to ban under-15s and hold platforms responsible for age verification, announced February 27.
Slovenia is drafting a law to prohibit under-15 access, per Deputy PM Matej Arcon on February 6.
Spain will push for new rules to make social networks and AI safer despite tech lobbying, said Digital Transformation Minister Oscar Lopez in May; PM Sanchez had said in February that Spain would ban under-16 access.
Sweden's commission recommended a minimum age of 15 on June 2, with platforms responsible for age verification.
Turkey's parliament passed legislation banning under-15 use on April 24.
UAE approved a resolution setting minimum age at 15 on June 18, the first Arab country to do so.
US legislation cleared a hurdle after Senator Ted Cruz supported the Kids Online Safety Act on May 12.
EU's von der Leyen said the EU would target 'addictive and harmful design practices' on May 12.
Tech platforms require users to be at least 13; child protection advocates say controls are insufficient.
Official data shows many children under 13 have social media accounts.
Article includes a compilation note listing reporters and editors.
Framing: Headline emphasizes the global movement to curb children's social media access, focusing on countries and regions. — Informational and neutral, supported by the factbox format listing country policies without editorial judgment.
Facts Included:
Australia became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16, with a landmark law effective December 10, 2025, and penalties up to A$49.5 million.
Britain plans to approve a ban for under-16s by Christmas, effective around Spring 2027, as stated by ex-Prime Minister Keir Starmer on June 15.
Britain also requires tech firms to stop children circulating nude images, with technical solutions by Apple and Google, and age verification for adults.
China has a 'minor mode' programme with device-level restrictions and screen time limits.
Denmark announced a ban for under-15s in November, with parental access down to age 13.
France's top court blocked a bill banning under-15 access on August 14, citing freedom of expression; parliament had approved it in July.
Germany allows minors aged 13-16 only with parental consent; advocates say controls are insufficient.
Greece is 'very close' to announcing a ban for under-15s, per a senior government source on February 3.
India's chief economic adviser called for age restrictions in January, describing platforms as 'predatory'.
Italy requires parental consent for under-14s.
Malaysia began barring under-16s from registering on social media on June 1.
New Zealand proposes a ban with fines up to 10% of global revenue and age verification methods.
Norway proposed raising consent age to 15 in 2024 and is working on an absolute minimum age of 15.
Poland's ruling party is preparing legislation to ban under-15s and hold platforms responsible for age verification, announced February 27.
Slovenia is drafting a law to prohibit under-15 access, per Deputy PM Matej Arcon on February 6.
Spain will push for new rules to make social networks and AI safer despite tech lobbying, said Digital Transformation Minister Oscar Lopez in May; PM Sanchez had said in February that Spain would ban under-16 access.
Sweden's commission recommended a minimum age of 15 on June 2, with platforms responsible for age verification.
Turkey's parliament passed legislation banning under-15 use on April 24.
UAE approved a resolution setting minimum age at 15 on June 18, the first Arab country to do so.
US legislation cleared a hurdle after Senator Ted Cruz supported the Kids Online Safety Act on May 12.
EU's von der Leyen said the EU would target 'addictive and harmful design practices' on May 12.
Tech platforms require users to be at least 13; child protection advocates say controls are insufficient.
Official data shows many children under 13 have social media accounts.
Article includes a compilation note listing reporters and editors.
Framing: Headline emphasizes Australian domestic politics and enforcement, focusing on Anika Wells' tougher laws and investigations of tech giants. — Analytical and slightly critical of government's approach, supported by quotes like 'dirty tricks' (Wells) and 'no factual basis' (Henderson).
Facts Included:
New laws to bolster Australia's under-16s social media ban should be passed despite 'differing views', according to a parliament inquiry.
The legislation would hike fines for tech giants and beef up powers of eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.
Since the ban was implemented on December 10, the watchdog has issued warnings and been involved in legal action with tech giants.
In May, Ms Inman Grant requested additional powers to obtain evidence.
Communications Minister Anika Wells introduced amendments in June, which passed the House but went to Senate inquiry on July 1.
Ms Wells said changes were in response to concerns tech platforms were trying to skirt the ban.
Ms Wells said the eSafety Commissioner is investigating five major platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.
Ms Wells accused companies of 'dirty tricks' and 'big-tech playbook'.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took the restrictions to the UN General Assembly in November.
Several countries announced plans to follow suit, including Spain, France, Malaysia, the UK and EU; New Zealand also revealed plans.
The report was handed down on Tuesday evening, with chair Senator Varun Ghosh recommending passing the laws.
The committee welcomed increased penalties and pointed to Digital Duty of Care as a priority.
Senator Ghosh acknowledged opposing views from Greens, Coalition, and independent Senator Fatima Payman.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young called for regulation of 'toxic algorithms' and implementation of Digital Duty of Care.
No tech company has been fined so far despite multi-million dollar penalties and threats.
Senator Payman's dissenting report included 11 recommendations, including a declaration that the bill should not be passed.
Payman called for targeting algorithms and banning big tech from collecting children's data.
Coalition's Sarah Henderson accused Ms Wells of trying to 'rush' through changes without transparency.
Henderson disputed Wells' claim about document shredding, saying there was no factual basis.
Henderson expressed disappointment that the committee recommended passing the bill without amendment.
Senator Ghosh indicated committee members lost sight of the scope of the review.
Parliamentarians return to Canberra on September 7.
Framing: Headline asks which countries and tech giants are regulating kids' social media access, emphasizing the global scope and role of tech companies. — Informational and neutral, supported by the factbox format listing country policies without editorial judgment.
Facts Included:
Australia became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16, with a landmark law effective December 10, 2025, and penalties up to Australian $49.5 million.
Britain plans to approve a ban for under-16s by Christmas, effective around Spring 2027, as stated by ex-Prime Minister Keir Starmer on June 15.
Britain also requires tech firms to stop children circulating nude images, with technical solutions by Apple and Google, and age verification for adults.
China has a 'minor mode' program with device-level restrictions and screen time limits.
Denmark announced a ban for under-15s in November, with parental access down to age 13.
France's top court blocked a bill banning under-15 access on August 14, citing freedom of expression; parliament had approved it in July.
Germany allows minors aged 13-16 only with parental consent; advocates say controls are insufficient.
Greece is 'very close' to announcing a ban for under-15s, per a senior government source on February 3.
India's chief economic adviser called for age restrictions in January, describing platforms as 'predatory'.
Italy requires parental consent for under-14s.
Malaysia began barring under-16s from registering on social media on June 1.
New Zealand proposes a ban with fines up to 10% of global revenue and age verification methods.
Norway proposed raising consent age to 15 in 2024 and is working on an absolute minimum age of 15.
Poland's ruling party is preparing legislation to ban under-15s and hold platforms responsible for age verification, announced February 27.
Slovenia is drafting a law to prohibit under-15 access, per Deputy PM Matej Arcon on February 6.
Spain will push for new rules to make social networks and AI safer despite tech lobbying, said Digital Transformation Minister Oscar Lopez in May; PM Sanchez had said in February that Spain would ban under-16 access.
Sweden's commission recommended a minimum age of 15 on June 2, with platforms responsible for age verification.
Turkey's parliament passed legislation banning under-15 use on April 24.
UAE approved a resolution setting minimum age at 15 on June 18, the first Arab country to do so.
US legislation cleared a hurdle after Senator Ted Cruz supported the Kids Online Safety Act on May 12.
EU's von der Leyen said the EU would target 'addictive and harmful design practices' on May 12.
Tech platforms require users to be at least 13; child protection advocates say controls are insufficient.
Official data shows many children under 13 have social media accounts.
Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status counts the distinct outlets we found asserting it — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.
Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimAustralia became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16, with a landmark law effective December 10, 2025.
ClaimBritain plans to approve a ban on social media for under-16s by Christmas, with the measure set to take effect around Spring 2027, ex-Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on June 15.
ClaimBig tech firms operating in Britain must stop children circulating nude images on their phones, or they will face legislation forcing them to do so, Starmer said on June 8.
ClaimUnder Britain's plans, firms like Apple and Google would have to build or activate technical solutions on smartphones and tablets to detect and block nude images for children.
ClaimChina's cyberspace regulator has put in place a 'minor mode' program that requires device-level restrictions and app-specific rules to restrict screen time depending on age.
ClaimDenmark said in November it would ban social media for children under 15, while parents could provide access to certain platforms to kids down to the age of 13.
ClaimNew Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is proposing a ban on children under 16 using social media, with fines of up to 10% of a platform's global revenue for non-compliance.
ClaimNew Zealand's proposed legislation would require social media platforms to take reasonable steps to verify users' ages, including by utilizing existing account information, facial technology, and digital identity documents.
ClaimPoland's ruling party is preparing new legislation to ban social media for children under 15 and to hold platforms responsible for age verification, it said on February 27.
ClaimSlovenia is drafting a law that would prohibit children under 15 from accessing social media, Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arcon said on February 6.
ClaimSpain will push ahead with new rules to make social networks and AI safer despite intense lobbying from the tech industry, Digital Transformation Minister Oscar Lopez told Reuters in May.
ClaimPrime Minister Pedro Sanchez had said in February that Spain would ban access to social media for minors under 16, with platforms required to implement age verification systems.
ClaimA ban on social media for under-15s in Sweden can be formulated so that platforms would be responsible for age verification, investigator Lisa Englund Krafft told a news conference.
ClaimTurkey's parliament on April 24 passed legislation banning the use of social media by children under 15 and introducing new rules for digital platforms.
ClaimThe United Arab Emirates on June 18 approved a resolution setting the minimum age for social media use at 15, making it the first Arab country to introduce such a measure.
ClaimU.S. legislation aimed at forcing social media companies to do more to protect children and teenagers cleared a key political hurdle after Republican Senator Ted Cruz said on May 12 he would support the bill.
ClaimCruz said he would back the Kids Online Safety Act, which would require social media companies to 'exercise reasonable care' in designing features that contribute to harm to minors.
ClaimThe U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act prevents companies from collecting personal data from children under 13 without parental consent.
ClaimSeveral U.S. states have passed laws requiring parental consent for minors to access social media, but they have faced court challenges on free speech grounds.
ClaimOn May 12, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union would seek stronger protections for children from harmful social media features.
ClaimVon der Leyen said the Commission would target 'addictive and harmful design practices' in its Digital Fairness Act, a planned law due to be proposed later this year.
ClaimThe European Parliament in November agreed on a resolution calling for an EU-wide ban on access for children under 16 to online platforms, video-sharing sites and AI companions without parental consent, and an outright ban for those younger than 13.
ClaimChild protection advocates say the controls are insufficient, and official data in several European countries shows huge numbers of children under 13 have social media accounts.
ClaimSince the Australian ban was implemented on December 10, the internet watchdog has issued a number of warnings for failures to comply and been embroiled in a string of legal action with tech giants.
ClaimCommunications Minister Anika Wells introduced amendments to harden the ban in June, which passed the House of Representatives but was sent to Senate inquiry on July 1.
ClaimMs Wells said the eSafety Commissioner is actively investigating noncompliance by five major platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.
ClaimSenator Ghosh acknowledged there had been opposing views in the government's approach, including from the Greens, Coalition, and independent Senator Fatima Payman.
ClaimGreens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young insisted there needed to be greater regulation of 'toxic algorithms' and implementation of Digital Duty of Care.
ClaimSenator Payman urged the government to ban big tech from collecting children's data, raising concerns over targeted advertising and profiling directed at individuals under 18.