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Which European countries are banning children from social media?
A child (portrayed by a model) on a mobile phone. /CFP While the age of social media may not yet be over, the age of people allowed to use it is being restricted in various countries, as governments introduce – or at least consider – the banning of children from accessing social platforms.Assessing the increasing evidence from studies, experts have pronounced with ever-growing confidence that social media can have negative effects on young minds – and media coverage leads to public pressure on politicians.Pressure has increased since a high-profile US court case in March 2026 handed down an unprecedented win for a young woman who sued Meta and YouTube over her childhood addiction to social media.Already in December 2025, Australia had become the first country to introduce a social media ban for under-16s, insisting that platforms like Meta's Instagram and Facebook, Alphabet's YouTube and Elon Musk's X implement age verification measures – or face penalties. But what's the state of play across Europe? Here we look at which countries have imposed legislation, which are considering it, and which leading politicians are talking about it. Information correct as of 27 April 2026.TürkiyeIn late April 2026, Türkiye's parliament passed legislation banning the use of social media by children under 15 and introducing new rules for digital platforms, including game software companies. Digital platforms are required to take necessary age verification measures, while game software platforms are brought under the scope of the regulation. Platforms with a high number of users are required to appoint a representative in Türkiye, and game platforms must classify games based on users' age criteria.GreeceIn April 2026, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that Greece will ban access to social media for children under the age of 15 from 1 January 2027 – citing rising anxiety, sleep problems and the addictive design of online platforms.The announcement came two months after an opinion poll showed around 80% of respondents approved of a ban. The Greek government has already outlawed mobile phones in schools and set up parental control platforms to limit teenagers' screen time."Greece will be among the first countries to take such an initiative," Mitsotakis said in a video message, adding that he had spoken with parents before making the decision. "I am certain, however, that it will not be the last. Our goal is to push the European Union in this direction as well."From ...
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