11 Countries Are Now Banning Social Media for Kids — Here Is the Full List
A growing wave of countries is moving to ban social media for children under 16, following Australia's pioneering legislation in December 2025. From Europe to Southeast Asia, governments are citing concerns about cyberbullying, addiction, and mental health risks — but critics warn these bans could lead to mass surveillance through age verification systems.
Australia — The Trailblazer
Australia became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16 in December 2025. The ban covers Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, and Kick. Companies that fail to keep children off their platforms face penalties of up to $34.4 million USD. WhatsApp and YouTube Kids are notably exempt.
Europe Leads the Charge
Denmark is set to ban social media for children under 15, with legislation expected by mid-2026. The government is developing a "digital evidence" app with age verification tools.
France passed a bill in January banning social media for kids under 15, though it still needs Senate approval. President Macron has backed the measure to combat excessive screen time.
Germany is considering a proposal to bar children under 16 from social media, though coalition partners remain hesitant about an outright ban.
Greece is reportedly close to announcing a ban for children under 15.
Slovenia is drafting legislation to prohibit children under 15 from accessing platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram.
Spain plans to ban social media for children under 16 and is additionally seeking laws to hold social media executives personally accountable for hate speech on their platforms.
United Kingdom is weighing a ban for children under 16 and consulting parents, young people, and civil society to determine effectiveness. The government is also considering requiring platforms to remove features that drive compulsive use, such as endless scrolling.
Asia Joins the Movement
Indonesia announced in March 2026 plans to ban children under 16 from YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox.
Malaysia plans to implement its social media ban for children under 16 sometime this year, following its November 2025 announcement.
India's Karnataka state has also signaled intent to ban social media for children under 16.
The Privacy Paradox
While the intentions behind these bans are widely praised, implementation raises serious questions. Effective enforcement requires robust age verification, which critics — including Amnesty Tech — argue could lead to invasive surveillance of all users, not just children. The irony is hard to miss: to protect children's privacy, governments may need to compromise everyone else's.
The Bottom Line
The global push to ban children from social media is accelerating rapidly, with at least 11 countries now actively pursuing legislation. Whether these bans will actually protect kids or simply push them to harder-to-monitor platforms remains the billion-dollar question. One thing is clear — the era of unrestricted social media access for minors is coming to an end, whether we like it or not.