Austria plans to ban social media for under-14s, warning it can make children “addicted and ill”
Austria is planning to ban social media for children under the age of 14, as more countries move to restrict children’s use of online platforms.
Announcing the plans, Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler of the Social Democrats called the day “a good day for children in our country” during a news conference on Friday.
“We will no longer stand by as these platforms make our children addicted and, in many cases, ill… The risks associated with this use were ignored for long enough, and now it is time to act,” he said.
Babler added that politicians are responsible for protecting children and that the issue should be treated the same as alcohol or tobacco: "There must be clear rules in the digital world too."
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He noted that social media exposes kids to "unrealistic beauty ideals, glorification of violence, misinformation, and manipulation”, and said that in the future, children under 14 would be protected from algorithms that were addictive.
The official in Chancellor Christian Stocker’s office responsible for digitization, Alexander Pröll, said that a draft bill will be prepared by the end of June.
He explained that "technically modern methods" will be used to verify users' ages while respecting their privacy, although technical details are still being finalized. Austria will reportedly pursue a national plan if a broader EU system is not ready in time.
Babler also said that there won’t be a blacklist of platforms; rather, the restrictions will apply to services that rely on addictive algorithms, monetize engagement, and pose risks to children.
Additionally, the government plans to introduce a new school subject to improve media literacy and online security practices among young people.
According to the BBC, the general secretary of the far-right opposition Freedom Party, Christian Hafenecker, criticized the plan, calling it "a direct attack on young people's freedom of expression and freedom of information".
Austria is joining a growing list of countries that are considering or have already implemented similar restrictions. In 2024, Australia became the first country to ban children under 16 from using social media. In Europe, many countries, including Poland, France, and Spain, are proposing or already implementing social media bans for young users.
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