Like France, where parliamentarians must vote this Tuesday, July 21, to ban social networks for children under 15, a growing number of countries around the world are restricting or planning to restrict the use of platforms by minors. Today there are at least twenty countries in this case, including five where access restrictions are in force. Most of these measures are very recent and target those under 15 or 16 years old.
In France, the bill to ban networks for those under 15 must be definitively adopted on Tuesday, after a compromise obtained on Monday between deputies and senators. The text, which could be implemented as early as September, will make the country the first in Europe “to establish a digital majority”, according to the Minister for Digital Affairs, Anne Le Hénanff.
Digital majority: France leads the way.
I welcome the agreement reached by parliamentarians in the CMP on the ban on social networks for under 15s.
Tomorrow, France will be the first country in Europe to establish a digital majority to better protect our…
— Anne Le Hénanff (@ALehenanff) July 20, 2026
I manage my choices I authorize
Controls already in force
In the category of countries where restrictions are already in place is Australia, which has banned social networks for its under-16s since December 2025. In Brazil, a law that came into force in March requires platforms to link the accounts of under-16s to those of their parents and forces platforms to verify the age of users.
In China, where the Internet is strictly regulated by the state, minors’ access to social networks has been gradually limited since 2019 with time restrictions and curfews for online games initially, then from 2023 for social networks and streaming platforms.
Since March, Indonesia has banned networks for under-16s. Ditto in Malaysia, where a law that came into force in June excludes this age group from the main platforms. Turkey is about to join this group of countries: a law adopted in April, due to come into force at the end of 2026, will exclude those under 15 from the networks. Ditto in the United Arab Emirates where a ban on children under 15, announced in June, will come into force within a year.
Legislation being adopted
In Portugal, a bill tabled in February by elected officials from the ruling right-wing party sets the “digital majority for autonomous access to platforms, services, games and applications” at 16.
In Spain, a bill unveiled in March 2025, currently under review, plans to raise the minimum age to 16 to register on a social network. Finally in Italy, a bill currently being examined plans to ban networks to those under 15 years of age.
Projects announced
At the European Union level, the Commission plans to propose progressive and graduated access for adolescents after the summer, with a ban for those under 13, then limited access between 13 and 18 years.
Within EU member countries, the Greek government announced at the beginning of April that it wanted to ban access to children under 15 from January 2027, while Austria and Slovenia are preparing bills for a ban on children under 14 and 15 (respectively).
In Germany, where Chancellor Friedrich Merz is in favor of a restriction or even a ban for minors, a commission of experts proposed two options in June: a graduated ban based on age or specific restrictions depending on the platforms.
In Sweden, a government commission proposed a ban on under-15s starting in 2028. In Denmark, the government announced in October 2025 that it would propose a ban on “several social networks” for under-15s. The Irish government has warned that it is considering legislating in the absence of a decision from the EU.
Outside the EU, the Norwegian government will present, by the end of the year, a bill prohibiting access to those under 16, while Canada unveiled, on June 10, a bill also setting the minimum age at 16.
In the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, replaced on Monday as Prime Minister by another Labor member, Andy Burnham, announced in mid-June a law to ban networks to under-16s, with entry into force planned for early 2027.
In India, where several states are considering bans on minors, the government announced in February that it was discussing future restrictions with platforms.
