Global Wave of Social Media Bans for Children Intensifies

In recent months, many developed countries around the world have announced strict measures to limit the use of social networks by minors. This trend is being implemented to protect the younger generation from cyberbullying, internet addiction, and mental health issues. Australia has been a pioneer in this regard, creating a unique precedent for other nations. This is reported by Techcrunch.com news reports.

The United Kingdom became one of the latest countries to join this list. Prime Minister Keir Starmer indicated in mid-June his intention to ban social media use for children. These rules proposed by governments are aimed at reducing the risks young users may face, including harmful content and the influence of online predators.

Countries implementing or planning bans

Currently, a number of countries are strengthening legal requirements for social media giants. Below are the countries taking active steps in this direction:

• Australia: Starting December 2025, it has officially banned the use of platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X for children under 16. Companies that violate the rules may be fined up to 34.4 million USD.
• Austria: At the end of March, it announced the introduction of restrictions for children up to 14 years old.
• Canada: Developed a digital safety bill for users up to 16 years old.
• Denmark: The government has reached a political agreement to close platforms for children up to 15 years old.

Based on the Australian experience, restrictions do not affect educational and communication services such as WhatsApp or YouTube Kids. However, popular resources like Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, and Twitch will be under strict control. The Australian government is requiring companies to use multi-step verification methods for age determination, rather than simply entering a date of birth.

Nevertheless, such drastic measures are causing various debates in society. In particular, organizations like Amnesty Tech and several experts consider these bans ineffective. They believe that invasive age-verification methods pose a risk to personal data privacy and ignore the modern digital reality of the younger generation.

In the Uzbekistan segment, the impact of social networks on the upbringing of youth is also one of the frequently discussed topics. This experience of Western countries may influence digital safety policies in our region in the future. For now, most countries are trying to force tech giants to take responsibility through fines and legal barriers.