This week, the Canadian government introduced legislation that could ban children under 16 from having social media accounts unless platforms can prove they are safe for young users. The proposed law would also create a new digital regulator and impose hefty penalties on companies that fail to comply.
While the bill has yet to become law, Canada’s move is significant because it signals that concerns about children’s online safety, mental health, cyberbullying, and addictive platform designs are no longer confined to one region. Instead, governments across the world are increasingly questioning whether social media platforms should be accessible to children at all.
Australia started the domino effect
The global conversation gained momentum after Australia became the first country to implement a nationwide social media ban for children under 16.
The legislation, which took effect on December 10, 2025, requires major platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, and X, to prevent users under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts. Companies that fail to comply face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($34.9 million).
Australia’s move transformed what was once a niche policy debate into a mainstream regulatory issue, prompting governments worldwide to examine whether similar restrictions are necessary.
Asia is moving in different directions
Several Asian countries have since taken action.
Indonesia has officially enforced a ban on social media for children under 16, becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to implement such a “digital curfew”.
Malaysia began barring users under 16 from registering social media accounts from June 2026, citing concerns around online safety and harmful content.
China has adopted a different approach. Rather than imposing a blanket ban, it introduced a “minor mode” system that combines device-level controls and app-specific restrictions, with screen-time limits varying according to a child’s age.
India has not proposed a national ban. However, the conversation has intensified. In January, India’s chief economic adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran described social media platforms as “predatory” and called for age-based restrictions. The comments came shortly after Goa indicated it was exploring measures similar to Australia’s approach.
Europe is emerging as the next battleground
A growing number of European governments are considering stricter age limits.
France’s National Assembly has approved legislation that would ban social media access for children under 15, though the proposal still requires further legislative approval.
Denmark has proposed banning social media for children under 15 while allowing parental exceptions for some users aged 13 and above.
Greece, Poland and Slovenia are all exploring under-15 bans, while Spain’s government has proposed restricting access to users under 16 and requiring platforms to implement age-verification systems.
Norway is working on legislation that could establish 15 as the minimum age for social media use, while Sweden’s government-appointed commission recently recommended a similar threshold.
Germany and Italy already require parental consent for younger teenagers to access social media platforms.
Britain’s focus is online safety
The UK has so far stopped short of proposing a nationwide ban.
Instead, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is focusing on child safety measures, including plans that would require technology companies to prevent children from sending or receiving nude images through smartphones and tablets.
Reports of a broader under-16 social media ban have surfaced, but no formal proposal has been introduced yet.
The US is taking a state-by-state approach
Unlike Australia, the United States has not introduced a nationwide social media ban for minors.
However, lawmakers continue to push for stronger protections through measures such as the Kids Online Safety Act. Several states have already enacted laws requiring parental consent for minors to access social media, although many have faced legal challenges over free speech concerns.
A global shift is underway
While the details vary from Australia’s outright restrictions and Malaysia’s registration ban to China’s screen-time controls and Europe’s parental consent models, the direction is increasingly clear.
Governments are no longer asking whether social media affects children. They are debating what age is appropriate for access, how platforms should verify users’ ages, and who should be held responsible when young users are exposed to harm online.
Canada’s proposal is the latest chapter in that debate and unlikely to be the last.
