Full list: 20 countries that have banned social media for teenagers - see the only African country included

• Worldwide policy shift: Governments across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas are introducing bans and restrictions on children’s access to social media due to rising concerns over mental health, cyberbullying, and online safety.

• Strict new laws emerging: Countries such as Australia, the UK, Gabon, France, and others are enforcing or planning under-16 bans, parental consent rules, and age-verification systems targeting minors.

• Major global momentum: The crackdown is being driven by growing evidence of harm and court rulings against tech giants, signalling stronger regulation and reduced reliance on self-regulation by social media companies.

Rather than relying solely on voluntary safeguards from technology companies, policymakers are pursuing a range of measures, including age-verification systems, parental consent requirements and, in some cases, outright bans for minors.

The shift comes amid heightened scrutiny of major social media platforms, with courts in several jurisdictions ruling against technology firms over allegations that they failed to adequately protect young users. These developments have intensified calls for tighter regulation and greater accountability across the digital landscape.

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For years, technology companies have faced criticism over claims that their platforms are deliberately designed to maximise engagement among children and teenagers. Critics argue that features such as endless scrolling, algorithm-driven recommendations and inadequate age-verification systems expose young users to mental health challenges, inappropriate content and online exploitation.

Recent legal defeats suffered by some of the world's largest technology firms have added momentum to the push for stronger oversight. In the United States, juries have found major social media companies liable in cases involving harm to children, prompting governments to accelerate efforts to regulate the sector.

As a result, several countries have introduced or proposed laws designed to reduce minors' exposure to social media and strengthen protections for young users.

Below is a country-by-country breakdown of the measures being implemented around the world.

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Gabon has become the first African nation to introduce a nationwide ban on social media use for children under the age of 16.

The law, enacted in 2026, prohibits minors from operating personal social media accounts except for educational purposes. It also places legal responsibility on parents and guardians to supervise their children's online activities.

Authorities say the legislation is intended to protect young people from cyberbullying, misinformation and harmful online content.

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Gabon remains the only African country to have implemented such legislation, joining a growing list of nations across Europe, Asia and Oceania adopting similar measures.

Australia became the first country in the world to ban social media use for children under 16, with the law taking effect in December 2025.

The legislation restricts access to platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. Companies that fail to comply face penalties of up to A$49.5 million (US$35.3 million).

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Austria plans to prohibit social media use for children under 14. Draft legislation is expected to be finalised following government consultations.

Brazil introduced its Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents, requiring users under 16 to link social media accounts to a legal guardian.

The law also bans addictive platform features such as infinite scrolling.

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United Kingdom is considering an Australia-style ban on social media use for children under 16.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall previously confirmed that ministers were exploring stricter regulations, while the government is also testing app curfews, usage limits and restrictions in selected households.

In a more recent development, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to prohibit social media access for children under 16, describing the move as a necessary response to growing evidence linking excessive social media use to anxiety, reduced wellbeing and disrupted childhood development.

China has introduced a "minor mode" that imposes device-level and app-specific restrictions, limiting screen time according to age groups.

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Denmark has announced plans to ban social media use for children under 15, although parents may grant access to children aged 13 and above.

France has approved legislation prohibiting social media use for children under 15, citing concerns about mental health and online bullying. The proposal still requires further parliamentary approval.

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Germany requires children aged between 13 and 16 to obtain parental consent before using social media platforms.

Greece has confirmed that social media access for children under 15 will be prohibited from January 2027.

India is seeing restrictions emerge at state level. Karnataka has already banned social media use for children under 16, while other states are considering similar measures.

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Indonesia plans to restrict social media access for users under 16, with accounts belonging to minors on selected platforms set to be gradually deactivated.

Italy requires parental approval for social media users under the age of 14.

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Malaysia has announced plans to prohibit social media use by children under 16 from 2026.

Norway intends to introduce legislation banning social media use for children under 16, with technology companies required to verify users' ages.

Poland is preparing legislation that would ban social media access for children under 15 and require age verification by platforms.

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Portugal now requires explicit parental consent for users aged 13 to 16. Companies found in breach of the rules could face fines of up to 2% of their global revenue.

Slovenia is developing legislation to prohibit social media use among children under 15.

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Spain plans to introduce an under-16 social media ban alongside mandatory age-verification systems, although parliamentary approval remains pending.

Turkey passed legislation in April 2026 restricting social media access for children under 15 and introducing wider platform regulations.

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United States continues to rely on the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which restricts data collection from children under 13 without parental consent.

Several states have introduced additional parental approval requirements for minors, although some measures face legal challenges on free speech grounds.

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The growing number of restrictions highlights a major shift in how governments view children's relationship with social media. Increasingly, online safety is being treated as a public policy issue rather than a matter left solely to technology companies.

For Africa, Gabon's decision marks a significant milestone and could encourage other countries on the continent to adopt similar measures. As concerns about digital wellbeing continue to grow, experts expect more governments to introduce laws aimed at limiting children's exposure to social media and strengthening protections for young users.