Austria’s government has unveiled plans to prohibit social media use by children under 14, joining other countries that are imposing age limits for young users. “Today is a good day for children in our country,” Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler said at a news conference, arguing that the dangers of social media have been “ignored for far too long.” He added the government will not “stand by as these platforms make our children addicted and, in many cases, ill,” warning that social media exposes adolescents to “unrealistic beauty ideals, glorification of violence, misinformation, and manipulation.”
The proposal comes from the three-party centrist coalition — the People’s Party (ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ), and the liberal NEOS party — which plans to present a draft law by the end of June. Alexander Pröll, a digitalization official in Chancellor Christian Stocker’s office, said the government will use “technically modern methods” to verify users’ ages while aiming to protect privacy, though implementation details are still being finalised.
Babler said the measure will not single out platforms by name. Instead, the age restriction is designed to apply broadly to services that rely on addictive algorithms, generate profit from young users, and pose potential harm. The plan also includes introducing a new school subject to boost media literacy among children and teenagers.
Austria joins a growing list of countries seeking to limit children’s access to social media. Australia moved in 2024 to block under-16s from social platforms, with that law taking effect in December 2025. France passed a law in January banning social media for those under 15. Other nations, including Indonesia, are developing similar limits, and discussions continue at the EU level about age restrictions for apps such as TikTok and Instagram.
Edited by: Sean Sinico