Feb 17 (Reuters) - Australia in December became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet's YouTube and Meta's Instagram and Facebook.
The ban comes amid mounting concerns over the impact of social media on children's health and safety.
Below is a summary of what countries and companies are doing to regulate access to social media.
A landmark law forced major social media platforms to block minors under 16 from December 10, 2025, one of the world's toughest regulations targeting major tech platforms.
Companies that fail to comply could face penalties of up to A$49.5 million ($34.9 million).
Britain is considering an Australia-style ban on social media and tighter AI chatbots safety rules for children under 16 as early as this year, technology minister Liz Kendall said.
China's cyberspace regulator has put in place a so-called "minor mode" programme that requires device-level restrictions and app-specific rules to restrict screen time depending on age.
Denmark 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.
France's National Assembly in January approved legislation to ban children under 15 from social media amid growing concerns about online bullying and mental health risks. The bill needs to pass through the Senate before a final vote in the lower house.
Minors aged 13 to 16 are allowed to use social media only if their parents provide consent. But child protection advocates say controls are insufficient.
Greece is "very close" to announcing a social media ban for children under 15, a senior government source told Reuters on February 3.
India's chief economic adviser called for age restrictions on social media platforms in January, describing them as "predatory" in how they keep users engaged online, two days after tourist state Goa said it was weighing restrictions akin to Australia's.
Children under the age of 14 need parental consent to sign up for social media accounts, while no consent is required above that age.
Malaysia said in November it would ban social media for users under the age of 16 starting from 2026.
The Norwegian government in October 2024 proposed raising the age at which children can consent to the terms required to use social media to 15 from 13, although parents would still be permitted to sign off on their behalf if they are under the age limit.
The government has also begun work on legislation to set an absolute minimum age limit of 15 for social media use.
Slovenia is drafting a law that would prohibit children under 15 from accessing social media, Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arcon said in a news conference on February 6.
Spain will ban access to social media for minors under 16 and platforms will be required to implement age verification systems, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said early in February.
It was unclear if the proposed ban would require approval by the country's highly fragmented lower house.
The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act prevents companies from collecting personal data from children under 13 without parental consent. Several states have passed laws requiring parental consent for minors to access social media, but they have faced court challenges on free speech grounds.
EU LEGISLATION
The European Parliament in November agreed on a resolution which is not legally binding calling for a minimum age of 16 on social media.
It urged a harmonised EU digital age limit of 13 for social media access and an age limit of 13 for video-sharing services and "AI companions".
TECH INDUSTRY
Social media platforms including TikTok, Facebook and Snapchat say people need to be at least 13 to sign up.
Child 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.
($1 = 1.4174 Australian dollars)
(Compiled by Christine Chen in Sydney, Hugo Lhomedet and Paolo Laudani in Gdansk; Editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak and Bernadette Baum)
