December 9, 2025
- Lawmakers across the U.S. and around the world are legislating on kids’ use of social media, with several countries passing or considering bans for children under a certain age.
- These measures are somewhat popular, though attempts in the U.S. have faced legal challenges and opposition from social media companies and civil liberties groups.
- Bans may not solve the problems deriving from children’s social media use and raise concerns about freedom of expression. Targeting how social media platforms are designed could be more effective and provide better results for all users, including adults.
Australia’s first-of-its-kind social media ban for children under the age of 16 will take effect on December 10, following heightened concerns about the impact of social media on teen mental health and well-being. Since the ban was passed in 2024, other countries have followed suit, introducing or considering similar legislation. Denmark plans to ban social media for users under 15, and regulators in the UK have signaled their willingness to advance an age-restricted ban or alternative measures such as time restrictions.
These efforts build on growing concern from policymakers, civil society, and researchers worried about the correlation between children’s well-being and social media use. Several projects link reliance upon these platforms to increased rates of depression and anxiety, distorted feelings about body image, and low self-esteem. Beyond correlational studies, some lawmakers cite rising rates of hopelessness and loneliness among children as other issues. Additionally, it’s unclear if bans will accomplish the goal of curbing the excessive use of social media by children.
Undergirding this debate is a host of other concerns around children’s right to free expression, access to information, online privacy, and parents’ role in policing social media use.
Global trends
Although widely debated, Australia’s ban was overwhelmingly popular, with one YouGov poll finding that 77% of Australians supported the law at the time of its passage. However, it’s unclear how enforcement might affect this support until the law takes effect. Even then, government officials said the rules won’t come into force all at once.
No other country has yet to pass outright prohibition, though Denmark is the latest to propose a ban. In October, the prime minister announced a proposal that would apply to children under 15 but include an exception for kids who have parental consent at age 13.
Globally, one survey found that 65% of people support banning children under the age of 14 from using social media. This included majorities in 29 out of 30 countries surveyed, with Germany as the sole outlier.
Other countries have taken more targeted, less restrictive approaches. Germany and France have raised the age needed for parental consent to open an account, while the Netherlands and South Korea have restricted the use of cellphones in classrooms. There are also strengthened protections for children’s data, including from the EU, which requires parental consent for the processing of personal data under the age of 13 or 16, depending on the member state.
