Austria to Ban Social Media for Children Under 14 Amid Rising Global Restrictions

Austria plans to ban social media use for children under 14, citing risks of addiction, health issues, and exposure to harmful content. The government will introduce age verification methods and a new school subject on media literacy. The move follows similar restrictions in countries like Australia and France and aligns with broader EU discussions on age limits for platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

Austria’s government announced plans to ban social media use for children under 14, joining a growing number of countries introducing restrictions for young users. Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler described the move as a positive step for children, saying the risks of social media have long been overlooked. He highlighted concerns that these platforms can foster addiction, negatively affect health, and expose adolescents to unrealistic beauty standards, glorification of violence, misinformation, and manipulation.
The country’s three-party centrist coalition, which includes the conservative People's Party (ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), and the liberal NEOS party, aims to present a draft law by the end of June. Alexander Pröll, a digitalization official in Chancellor Christian Stocker’s office, said that “technically modern methods” will be used to verify users’ ages while respecting privacy, though the technical details are still being finalized. Babler stressed that the restriction will not target specific platforms but will generally apply to those that use addictive algorithms, generate profits, and can harm children.
In addition, Austria plans to introduce a new school subject to strengthen media literacy among young people. The country follows a global trend of limiting children’s social media access, with Australia leading in 2024 by banning children under 16 from social media, a law that took effect in December 2025. France passed a similar law in January banning social media for children under 15, and discussions continue at the EU level about age restrictions on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.