In the context of increasing concern about the negative impact of social networks on children, many countries around the world are promoting measures to restrict, even move towards completely banning the use of these platforms for minor users.
The leading country in this trend is Australia. From December 2025, this country officially bans children under 16 years old from using a series of popular platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube.
The Australian government requires technology companies to deploy effective age verification systems, otherwise they will face fines of up to tens of millions of USD.
This regulation is considered an important precedent, urging many other countries to act.
In Europe, the wave of tightening is also spreading. France has passed a bill banning children under 15 years old from using social networks.
Along with that, Denmark and Austria are also finalizing similar regulations. While Germany, Poland and Slovenia are still in the process of discussion.
Some countries have set specific roadmaps. Greece plans to impose a ban from 2027, to address anxiety, insomnia and social media addiction in children.
Spain and the United Kingdom are also considering similar measures, while considering the responsibility of platforms in controlling addictive content and features.
Not only Europe, Asian countries are also joining in. Indonesia and Malaysia have announced plans to ban children under 16 years old from using popular online platforms. While Turkey has passed a bill restricting access, awaiting final approval.
Governments believe that this restriction is aimed at minimizing risks such as online bullying, social media addiction, mental health problems and the risk of exposure to harmful content.
However, these measures also face many controversies. Some organizations, including Amnesty Tech (a program of the international human rights organization Amnesty International), argue that age verification may infringe on privacy and may not be effective in practice.
Although there are still many opposing opinions, the trend of tightening social media access for children is becoming a global issue.
In the context of rapid technological development, governments are forced to seek a balance between protecting young users and ensuring personal freedom in the digital space.
