Austria plans to join a growing international movement to shield children from the dangers of social media, according to Euro News. The government announced on Friday that it will introduce legislation banning children under 14 from using social media platforms, a move that echoes similar restrictions now spreading across the world.
Alexander Pröll, the official responsible for digital affairs in Chancellor Christian Stocker’s office, said the draft law will be completed by the end of June. He explained that the country will rely on “technically modern” age‑verification tools designed to confirm users’ ages while still protecting their privacy. The law, however, will still need parliamentary approval before taking effect.
Austria’s Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler described the plan as an important step for protecting young people from online harm. “Today is a good day for children in our country,” he said. “We will no longer stand by as social media platforms make our children addicted — and often sick.”
If passed, Austria would follow a series of similar measures in other countries. Australia became the first to enact a ban for children under 16 last December. France and Denmark have passed or announced bans for under‑15s, Spain is considering a ban for under‑16s, and the British government is also reviewing such a move. Indonesia’s version of the ban takes effect this week.
In Vienna, officials say the restriction will come alongside a plan to strengthen digital education in schools, including lessons about online safety, responsible media use, and artificial intelligence.
The global push to curb children’s social media use comes amid rising concern over mental health and online addiction. Earlier this week, U.S. tech giants Meta and YouTube were ordered to pay $6 million (€5.1 million) in damages after a jury found that their platforms were designed to keep young users hooked.
Meanwhile, the European Union is also pushing for continent‑wide reform. In November, the European Parliament proposed setting a uniform minimum age of 16 for joining social media and other online platforms, though users aged 13 to 16 could join with parental consent.
With its proposed law, Austria now steps firmly into the frontline of Europe’s debate over how far governments should go to protect children from the digital world’s darker side.
