What are the age cutoffs for social media bans in recent legislation?

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Age cutoffs for social media bans in recent legislation are mostly set at under-15 or under-16, with some proposals at under-14 and under-13

Recent legislation and announced rules across multiple countries target children aged under 15 or under 16, with several jurisdictions also using under-14 thresholds. Australia has a ban for those under 16 since December 2025, while Indonesia has barred under-16s since March and Malaysia’s June legislation excludes under-16s from major platforms. Outside these, the European plans and national proposals commonly focus on under-15, including Greece’s planned under-15 cutoff from January 1, 2027, and Turkey’s under-15 ban expected to take effect in late 2026.
Existing bans and laws already in force at under-16 or under-15
Australia bans social media for under-16s, effective from December 2025. Indonesia has banned social media for under-16s since March, and Malaysia’s legislation in June excludes under-16s from major platforms. Brazil’s March law requires platforms to link accounts of users under 16 to parents and also requires age verification.
Restrictions that use under-15 thresholds in national rules and expected start dates
Turkey passed legislation in April to bar under-15s from social media, with the law expected to take effect in late 2026. The United Arab Emirates announced a ban on social media for under-15s last month, with implementation set for about a year later. Greece intends to ban social media access for under-15s starting January 1, 2027.
EU proposals and draft laws also include under-14 cutoffs
Austria is preparing legislation to prohibit access for under-14s, while Slovenia is preparing legislation to prohibit access for under-15s. In Germany, an expert commission proposed a ban graded by age or platform-specific restrictions, and in Sweden a government commission proposed banning social media for under-15s by early 2028. Denmark announced in October 2025 that it would propose banning several social media platforms for under-15s.
Other countries’ cutoffs under consideration include under-16 and a minimum age of 16
Norway will present a bill by the end of the year to ban access for those under 16. The UK is looking to ban social media for under-16s by early 2027, while Canada wants to set the minimum age for social media use at 16. In Portugal, a bill is being considered to set the age for independent access to platforms, services, games and applications at 16, while Spain has proposed raising the minimum age for registering from 14 to 16.

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What are the age cutoffs for social media bans in recent legislation?

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