One is planning to ban social media for under-14-year-olds, and the other for under-15-year-olds.
Austria is now the newest European country to join the debate on whether social media should be banned for kids.
The country is now considering banning children under 14 from using social media, State Secretary for Digital Affairs Alexander Proll told public broadcaster ORF.
According to him, ideally, the ban should come into effect by the time the new school year begins in September 2026.
The government is currently looking into technical aspects of this move. Members of Austrian political parties will meet to discuss a comprehensive plan for implementing the ban. Australia’s social media ban should serve as a model for methods used to verify people’s ages, reports Anadolu Agency.
For example, those who want to join social media platforms in Australia now have to provide some form of identification, such as via facial and voice recognition tools.
The way people would verify their age on social media platforms is likely to become the epicentre of discussions in Austria.
The ruling coalition, formed by the Social Democratic Party (SPO) and liberal NEOS, has already expressed its support for the idea. However, they cannot find an agreement on how it could be implemented.
Henrike Brandstotter, NEOS media spokesperson, claimed the party is not in favour of entirely copying Australia’s approach, as user data collection raises safety concerns. She suggested waiting for Austria’s “eID” system, expected to be ready by the end of the year.
The eID system is a digital identity platform that enables Austrian citizens to verify their identity online. It’s similar to a digital passport or ID card. It’s seen as a safer option, as people should be able to identify themselves with a government-issued ID.
So far, the age limit for social media use is still being discussed. Proll has expressed his support for the 14-year mark.
Poland is on a fast track to ban social media for kids, too
The Polish government is also considering banning social media for children under 15.
The path the country is picking so far is an upgrade of the mObywatel app. This is Poland’s official digital ID platform, which, after an update, should allow people to confirm their age without revealing any other personal information.
Michał Gramatyka, Poland’s Deputy Digital Affairs Minister, said the update would make it possible to restrict children's access to social media.
He has also stated his belief that early exposure to digital devices is a problem stemming from parents who allow their kids to use social media, as well as from social media platforms that fail to enforce minimum age requirements.
Poland’s Civic Coalition, a party that’s a part of the government’s ruling coalition, is currently drafting a law to ban children under 15 from social media.
The aim is to finalize the law by the end of February 2026, with it coming into force by Christmas 2027.
A recent survey cited by “Polish Radio” shows that the majority of Poles support delaying children’s social media use because they see it as a safety risk and mention concerns over the overuse of the platforms.
What about the others?
Just this week, France's National Assembly backed legislation to ban children under 15 years old from social media, amid growing concerns about online bullying and mental health risks. The country is now awaiting approval from the Senate.
The United Kingdom seems to be on board as well. The country’s House of Lords has greenlit a bill banning social media and virtual private networks (VPNs) for under-16-year-olds. Two amendments were passed by a majority but still need backing from the UK government.
The Danish government has agreed to ban social media for children under the age of 15, but left it for the parents to decide whether access to “certain” platforms will be granted.
Australia was the first country in the world to ban social media for those under 16 years old. The move was instantly met with fury by some social media giants such as Reddit, which filed a lawsuit in order to overturn the country's decision. YouTube, unhappy at first, criticized the law and signaled it might push back, but ultimately agreed with the changes in Australia’s national law and complied.
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