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Austria plans to ban social media for under-14s

Emmy Sasipornkarn with AFP, AP, dpa
March 27, 2026

Austria is set to follow other countries in curbing young people's access to social media. The three-party governing coalition plans to present a draft law by the end of June.

https://p.dw.com/p/5BHhS
Group of teenagers using phones, Close up of group of teenages using mobile phones
The Austrian government says it won't draw up a list of banned social media platforms but will use other methods to determine if it limits access to a siteImage: Jevtic/Dreamstime/IMAGO

Austria's government on Friday announced plans to ban social media use for children under 14, joining a growing number of countries introducing restrictions for young users.

"Today is a good day for children in our country," Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler said at a news conference, adding that the risks of social media have been "ignored for far too long."

"We will no longer stand by as these platforms make our children addicted and, in many cases, ill," he said.

Babler also noted that social media exposes adolescents to "unrealistic beauty ideals, glorification of violence, misinformation, and manipulation." 

Austria sends 70,000 kids on a three‑week smartphone detox

What else do we know about Austria's under-14 social media ban?

Austria's three-party centrist coalition — comprising the conservative People's Party (ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), and the liberal NEOS party — plans to present a draft law by the end of June.

Alexander Pröll, a digitalization official in Chancellor Christian Stocker's office, said "technically modern methods" will be used to verify users' ages while respecting privacy. The details of the technical implementation are not yet finalized.

Babler emphasized that there will not be a list of banned platforms. Instead, the age restriction will generally apply to platforms that rely on addictive algorithms, generate profits and can harm children.

The Austrian government also plans to introduce a new school subject to strengthen media literacy among young people.

Global trend in limiting children's social media use

Austria joins a growing list of countries drawing up limits on children's social media access.

Australia set an example in 2024 by becoming the first country to block children under 16 from social media to shield them from harmful content. The law took effect in December 2025.

In Europe, France passed a law in January banning social media for children under 15.

At the EU level, discussions are ongoing about setting age restrictions for platforms like TikTok and Instagram. 

EU-wide social media ban for kids?

Edited by: Sean Sinico

Emmy Sasipornkarn Srimingkwanchai
Emmy Sasipornkarn Multimedia journalist with a focus on Asia