A Global Shift: How Countries Are Moving to Restrict Social Media Access for Children

Over the past two years, a growing number of governments have begun reconsidering how digital platforms should operate for young people. Concerns about cyberbullying, addictive platform design, exposure to harmful content, and youth mental health have prompted policymakers across multiple regions to explore stronger protections.

In December 2025, Australia became the first country in the world to implement a nationwide law preventing many social media platforms from permitting children under 16 from holding accounts. At the time, critics suggested Australia might be acting alone or moving too far ahead of the rest of the world.

Yet developments across Europe, Asia and the Pacific suggest the opposite. Far from standing out on its own, Australia’s regulation triggered a rapidly emerging international policy movement. Governments across multiple jurisdictions are now exploring similar restrictions, experimenting with different regulatory approaches, and in some cases, proposing even stron…