European countries are introducing new regulations to shield children and teenagers from the potential harms of social media, including exposure to inappropriate content, addiction and negative effects on mental health.
France's parliament recently approved a bill banning children under 15 from accessing social media, with lawmakers saying the measure is necessary to protect French children.
Under the bill, social media platforms will be required to introduce age verification systems, and children under 15 will not be allowed to open social media accounts from Sept. 1.
Platforms will also be required to close existing accounts belonging to children under 15 within four months.
The French government also said it is preparing to extend restrictions on mobile phone use, already in force in primary and middle schools, to high schools from the next academic year.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also said a new digital age verification application aimed at improving children's online safety is technically ready and will soon be launched.
Von der Leyen said social media platforms use highly addictive designs, adding that the "infinite scroll" feature fuels addiction.
In Germany, a government-commissioned expert report renewed concerns over the effects of social media on young people.
The report recommended phased protective measures for teenagers aged 13 to 18 and proposed setting 13 as the minimum age for social media use by children.
Digital Affairs Minister Karsten Wildberger said he was open to introducing an age limit for children's social media use, citing the negative impact of social media on young people's development.
Greece also announced that new rules on social media use by children under 15 will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said parents and experts had told him that children were experiencing stress, sleeping poorly and constantly checking their phones, adding that prolonged screen time was affecting their brains.
He said children under 15 would not be allowed to open social media accounts under the planned measures.
Norway's government has also begun preparations for legislation regulating social media access for children under 16.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said the bill would be submitted to parliament later this year and, if approved, would enter into force in 2027.
Store said the government was working toward only allowing children over the age of 16 to access social media.
In the UK, former Prime Minister Keir Starmer said families were concerned about children's online safety and that he had held talks with social media companies during his time in office to push for faster action.
Starmer also said existing rules did not adequately protect children from harmful online content and pledged to introduce new measures regulating social media use by children under 16.
In Finland, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the Finnish National Agency for Education recommended that children under 13 not own smartphones or use social media.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo also backed restrictions on social media use by children under 15, citing concerns over declining physical activity and participation in hobbies among children and young people.
Orpo described the trend as "deeply worrying," saying social media has become one of the main obstacles to children adopting healthier and more active lifestyles.
Sweden's government said it plans to introduce new restrictions on mobile phone use in primary and middle school classrooms to help children focus on learning.
Denmark is also working on measures regulating access to social media platforms for children under 15. The government said it secured support from three coalition parties and two opposition parties in parliament for the initiative in November 2025.
The Danish Ministry of Digital Affairs will also introduce an application containing age verification tools to support the measure.
Poland plans to limit children's screen time and social media use. Education Minister Barbara Nowacka said students under 16 will not be allowed to use mobile phones in schools from Sept. 1.
The Polish government also said it is working on legislation regulating social media use by children under 15.
Spain is preparing to restrict access to social networking platforms for children under 16.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said children under 16 would not be allowed to access social networking platforms and announced additional measures to strengthen oversight of digital platforms and hold their operators accountable for violations.
The Spanish government also plans to submit a bill making social media platform operators legally responsible for violations committed on their platforms and granting prosecutors the authority to investigate such cases.
Portugal has taken the first legislative step toward regulating access to social networking platforms for children under 13 and allowing those aged 13 to 16 to use them only with parental consent.
A bill proposed by the ruling Social Democratic Party was approved by parliament and sent to a committee for finalization.
In Austria, coalition partners agreed to introduce social media restrictions for children under 14.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said he supports regulating access to social media platforms for children under 15.
A bill prepared by Babis and Education Minister Robert Plaga would also ban the use of mobile phones and other electronic communication devices in kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools and multi-year high schools.
Slovenia is preparing legislation regulating social media use by children under 15, targeting platforms including TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram.
In the Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are increasingly adopting rules on mobile phone and social media use, particularly in schools.
Estonia and Lithuania are focusing on strengthening children's digital safety under existing EU rules, while Latvia is discussing proposals to regulate social media access for children under 15.
Italy is also preparing legislation regulating social media use by children under 15, with the bill expected to be finalized and voted on in parliament in the coming months.
The European Parliament has also adopted a report calling for a minimum age of 16 for children's access to social media across the EU. The nonbinding report recommends that children aged 13 to 16 only be allowed access to digital platforms with parental consent.
The report highlights physical and mental health risks children face online and calls for stronger protection against "manipulative strategies" that fuel addiction and undermine children's ability to concentrate and interact with online content in a healthy way.
Australia became the first country to ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms in December 2025.
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