Lawmakers in France are scheduled to vote on Tuesday on banning social media for under-15s – one of 20 countries worldwide to have proposed or introduced such measures.
Five of these countries have restrictions already in place, according to an AFP report.
Here are the facts about measures in different countries.
– Restrictions in force –
Social media is banned for under 16s in Australia from December 2025.
Brazil introduced a law in March that requires platforms to link the accounts of users under the age of 16 with those of their parents, while also requiring platforms to verify users’ ages.
In China, where the internet is tightly regulated by the state, minors’ access to social media has been progressively restricted since 2019.
The initial measures imposed time limits and curfews on online gaming, before similar restrictions were extended in 2023 to social media and streaming platforms.
Indonesia has banned social media for under-16s since March.
Malaysia has taken a similar approach, with legislation that came into force in June excluding children under 16 from major platforms.
Turkey will join the list after passing legislation to ban under-15s from social media in April. The law is expected to enter into force at the end of 2026.
The United Arab Emirates announced a ban on social media for under-15s last month, with implementation set to take about a year.
– Restrictions announced –
Across the 27-nation EU, the European Commission plans to propose measures later this year for a total ban for under-13s and progressive access for those aged 13 to 18.
Within the bloc, the Greek government announced in early April that it intends to ban access to social media for children under 15 from January 1, 2027.
Austria and Slovenia are also preparing legislation to ban access for under-14s and under-15s, respectively.
In Germany, where Chancellor Friedrich Merz supports restricting or even banning social media for children, a commission of experts has proposed two options: an age-graded ban or platform-specific restrictions.
A similar debate is taking place in Sweden, where a government commission has proposed banning social media for children under 15 by early 2028.
In Denmark, the government announced in October 2025 that it would propose banning “certain social media platforms” for under-15s.
The Irish government has warned it is considering legislation in the absence of an EU decision.
Outside the EU, the Norwegian government will present a bill by the end of the year to ban access for under-16s.
The UK is looking to ban social media for children under 16 by early 2027, under a move planned by its former prime minister Keir Starmer.
Canada also wants to set the minimum age for social media use at 16.
Several states in India are considering restrictions on children, and the government said it is holding discussions with platforms on possible measures.
– Bills in parliament –
A proposal to ban social media for children under 15 will be voted on by the French parliament on Tuesday after MPs and senators reached a compromise deal.
The lower house approved the bill at first reading in January, but the Senate later amended it to target only the most harmful platforms, causing concern in Brussels.
The government hopes it can come into effect in September. Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff said it would make France the first country in Europe to introduce a “legal digital age”.
Portugal is considering a bill that would set the age at 16 for independent access to platforms, services, games and apps.
Spain has proposed raising the minimum age to register on a social media platform from 14 to 16.
In Italy, parliament is considering legislation that would ban the use of social media by children under the age of 15.
