European countries are introducing new regulations to shield children and teenagers from the potential harms of social media, including exposure to inappropriate content, addiction and negative effects on mental health, El.kz cites Anadolu.
France's parliament recently approved a bill banning children under 15 from accessing social media, with lawmakers saying the measure is necessary to protect French children.
Under the bill, social media platforms will be required to introduce age verification systems, and children under 15 will not be allowed to open social media accounts from Sept. 1.
Platforms will also be required to close existing accounts belonging to children under 15 within four months.
EU seeks common age limit
The European Parliament has also adopted a report calling for a minimum age of 16 for children's access to social media across the EU. The nonbinding report recommends that children aged 13 to 16 only be allowed access to digital platforms with parental consent.
The report highlights physical and mental health risks children face online and calls for stronger protection against "manipulative strategies" that fuel addiction and undermine children's ability to concentrate and interact with online content in a healthy way.
Australia became the first country to ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms in December 2025.
