Multiple countries enact social media age limits after Australia’s December ban

Australia introduced a ban on social media accounts for children under 16 in December. Indonesia followed in March by blocking access for the same age group, and Malaysia implemented comparable restrictions this month. Britain announced plans last week for a ban scheduled to take effect by early 2027.

France has set its age limit at 15, while Austria plans to restrict access for those under 14. Norway is considering expanding its existing limit from under 13 to under 16. Several countries, including Poland, Denmark, and England, have paired social media rules with smartphone restrictions in schools.

company responses Lawsuits filed by school districts, government officials, and families allege that platforms harmed children’s mental health through design features or inadequate content controls. The companies have denied the allegations. In one California case, a jury found Meta and YouTube liable for designing addictive products that contributed to harm for a minor user.

differing national approaches An Australian government survey of 900 parents found that roughly two-thirds of young people retained access to social media accounts after the ban took effect, even as nearly 5 million accounts identified as belonging to children were closed.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that circumvention does not justify abandoning age restrictions, comparing the issue to alcohol sales rules. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said her government has no plans for a similar ban, citing concerns that restrictions could be bypassed.

India has not adopted nationwide limits, and the United States has seen limited state-level measures amid ongoing court challenges.