!

Children and Social Media: What Every Country Is Doing

Last updated: 14 May 2026 · 27 countries & regions

Governments around the world are introducing age restrictions on social media for children. This tracker follows every country that has passed a law, been granted powers to act, introduced legislation, or formally announced plans. Updated every week.

4 Law in force
1 Powers granted
11 Bills in progress
11 Proposed
Law in force · 4 countries
🇦🇺 Australia Updated
Under-16 social media ban — the first in the world. In March 2026, Australia quietly amended the law to put the algorithm itself in scope. Under the new definition, a platform is age-restricted if it has a recommender algorithm and/or design features like like-counters or disappearing stories. The world's first age ban is now, in practice, a design-features ban. Every country watching Australia is now moving the same way. eSafety Commissioner considering court action against Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. Preliminary hearing set for 21 May 2026.
Amended: March 2026
🇧🇷 Brazil
Digital ECA (Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente Digital) signed September 2025. Bans social media for under-14s and requires parental consent for 14–16s. Platforms must implement age verification.
In force: March 2026
🇲🇾 Malaysia
Under-16 ban on social media accounts. Platforms required to verify user age and deactivate accounts belonging to under-16s.
In force: 1 Jan 2026
🇮🇩 Indonesia
Age-gated approach: under-13s limited to children's platforms only; 13–15s restricted to lower-risk platforms; under-16s banned from high-risk platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox. Accounts deactivated from 28 March 2026. VPN circumvention reported within days of enforcement.
In force: 28 March 2026
Powers granted · 1 country
🇬🇧 United Kingdom Updated
The government conceded on 27 April that it will impose "age or functionality restrictions" on social media for under-16s, regardless of what the public consultation concludes. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act now carries a statutory duty to act within 12 months of royal assent. Consultation on "Growing Up in the Online World" closes on 26 May 2026. The first restrictions under the new powers are expected to be in place by the end of 2026.
Consultation closes: 26 May 2026
Bills in progress · 11 countries
🇫🇷 France
Under-15 social media ban passed the National Assembly 27 January 2026 (130–21). The Senate adopted its own version on 31 March 2026, introducing a two-tier system: a blacklist of platforms deemed dangerous (maintained by regulator ARCOM) would be outright banned for under-15s, while other platforms would require parental consent. The two chambers must now reconcile their versions before a final vote.
Senate vote: 31 March 2026
🇩🇰 Denmark
Parliamentary agreement reached November 2025. Legislation expected mid-2026. Government launching a "digital evidence" app to support age verification.
Agreement: Nov 2025
🇳🇴 Norway Updated
Prime Minister Støre announced on 24 April 2026 that the government will introduce legislation to ban under-16s from social media, with tech companies responsible for age verification. "We are introducing this legislation because we want a childhood where children get to be children," Støre said. The bill will be introduced to parliament by end of 2026. The move follows what the government described as "overwhelming" public demand.
Announced: 24 April 2026
🇵🇹 Portugal
Parliament approved legislation in February 2026. Details of age threshold and implementation timeline to be confirmed.
Parliament approved: 12 Feb 2026
🇪🇸 Spain
Prime Minister announced under-16 ban in February 2026. Proposed legislation also includes criminal liability for platform executives over hate speech. Parliamentary approval required.
Announced: Feb 2026
🇸🇮 Slovenia
Deputy Prime Minister announced plans to prohibit under-15s from accessing social media platforms including TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. Legislation being drafted.
Announced: 6 Feb 2026
🇬🇷 Greece
Prime Minister Mitsotakis announced an under-15 social media ban on 8 April 2026 — notably via a message posted on TikTok. The ban takes effect 1 January 2027. Mitsotakis then wrote to the European Commission calling for an EU-wide age restriction with mandatory verification across all member states.
Announced: 8 April 2026
🇺🇸 US Federal
KIDS Act (including SAFEBOTs Act on AI chatbot safety and AWARE Act) passed House Energy & Commerce Committee 5 March 2026, heading to full House vote. COPPA 2.0 passed Senate Commerce Committee the same week. Updated COPPA Rule compliance deadline reached 22 April 2026 — for the first time, separate parental consent is now required before companies can use children's data to train AI models.
COPPA deadline: 22 April 2026
🇺🇸 US State Level
~78 AI chatbot safety bills active across 27 states. Oregon and Idaho chatbot bills signed into law April 2026. Tennessee signed law banning AI from presenting as mental health professionals. Massachusetts House passed a bill 129–25 on 8 April 2026 banning under-14s from social media and requiring parental consent for 14–15s, with an October 2026 effective date. Now returns to the Senate.
Active: April 2026
🇳🇿 New Zealand
Select committee final report published 6 March 2026 recommends an under-16 social media ban. Member's bill entered the parliamentary ballot — requires a draw before it can progress.
Committee report: 6 March 2026
🇹🇷 Turkey
Parliament passed a law on 23 April 2026 banning under-15s from social media, one week after a school shooting in Kahramanön. The law also covers online gaming platforms and ends anonymity by requiring identity verification for all social media users. President Erdoğan was expected to sign within 15 days. The law enters into force six months after publication in the Official Gazette. The opposition CHP criticised the bill as a political censorship tool rather than child protection.
Parliament passed: 23 April 2026
Proposed · 11 countries
🇩🇪 Germany
Expert committee studying options. Report expected autumn 2026. Chancellor Merz's conservatives proposed under-16 ban in February 2026, but coalition partners expressed hesitation. Germany prefers an EU-coordinated approach.
Under review: 2026
🇵🇱 Poland
Ruling party announced plans for age restrictions on 27 February 2026. No legislation introduced yet.
Announced: 27 Feb 2026
🇫🇮 Finland
Prime Minister expressed support for restrictions in January 2026. No formal legislation announced.
Support expressed: Jan 2026
🇪🇺 European Union Updated
The Commission President signalled on 12 May 2026 that an EU-wide social media age limit could be proposed this summer. The EU's age verification app — open-source, using zero-knowledge proofs so users prove their age without sharing ID — is now technically ready and has been recommended to member states. Snapchat is under formal DSA investigation. Four adult content platforms found in preliminary breach for failing to stop minors accessing content. Greece's PM wrote to the Commission in April 2026 calling for an EU-wide restriction with mandatory verification.
Commission signal: 12 May 2026
🇧🇪 Belgium (Flanders)
The Flemish regional government announced a decree on 3 April 2026 introducing a legally binding minimum age of 13 for social media platforms deemed harmful to minors. Platforms including TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram will be required to implement age verification. Flanders' governing coalition rejected calls for a higher 15 or 16 age limit.
Announced: 3 April 2026
🇨🇳 China
"Minor mode" technical framework limits children's access and screen time on domestic platforms. Not a social media ban — applies to Chinese apps only.
Framework: ongoing
🇲🇽 Mexico
Government consultations launched. Proposals expected June 2026. No legislation introduced yet.
Consultation: 2026
🇦🇹 Austria
Three-party governing coalition announced agreement in principle on 27 March 2026 to ban social media for under-14s. Digitisation Minister Alexander Pröll said draft legislation will be drawn up by end of June 2026. The ban will target platforms using "addictive algorithms" and will be defined by criteria rather than a named platform list. No consensus yet between coalition partners on verification method.
Announced: 27 March 2026
🇮🇹 Italy
Bill in the Senate since May 2024. Has not progressed to a vote. No law yet.
Bill stalled: since May 2024
🇮🇳 India
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh announced state-level restrictions in March 2026. Central government signalling a national law with a three-tier age approach: 8–12, 12–16, and 16–18.
State announcements: March 2026
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan New
The Ministry of Culture and Information has drafted a bill banning under-16s from creating accounts on social media and online platforms. Messaging apps are exempted. The draft has been through public consultation and a working group has been set up within the Ministry of Education. No date set for parliamentary introduction.
Draft bill: 2026