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The European Parliament agreed on a resolution calling for a minimum age of 16 on social media
ReutersWednesday 26 November 2025 14:44 GMTComments
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The European Parliament has urged member states to implement a minimum age of 16 for social media use.
The call, which is not binding, comes as European nations, Australia, and technology companies increasingly seek to regulate children's access to online platforms.
French President Emmanuel Macron has previously called for EU regulation to ban social media for children under 15, although it is not quite clear how the EU would carry this out, given it is up to individual EU members to impose age limits.
Below is a summary of what many countries have done to regulate children's access to social media.
EU legislation
The European Parliament on 26 November agreed on a resolution calling for a minimum age of 16 on social media to ensure "age-appropriate online engagement".
It also urged a harmonised EU digital age limit of 13, under which no minor could access social media platforms, and an age limit of 13 for video-sharing services and "AI companions".
The resolution is not legally binding and does not set policy.
open image in gallerySocial media platforms including TikTok, Facebook and Snapchat say people need to be at least 13 to sign up (Alamy/PA)Tech’s own regulation
Social media platforms including TikTok, Facebook and Snapchat say people need to be at least 13 to sign up.
Child protection advocates say control is insufficient, however, and official data in several European countries show huge numbers of children under 13 have social media accounts.
Australia
A law passed in November 2024 forces tech giants from Instagram and Facebook owner Meta to TikTok to stop minors logging in or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32.1 million).
A trial on the methods to enforce the rule has been running since January and the ban will take effect from December 10.
Belgium
In 2018, Belgium enacted a law requiring children to be at least 13 years old to create a social media account without parental permission.
open image in galleryA law passed in November 2024 forces tech giants from Instagram and Facebook owner Meta to TikTok to stop minors logging in or face fines (AFP via Getty Images)Britain
The British government passed the Online Safety Act, which sets tougher standards for social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and TikTok - including on appropriate age restrictions - in 2023, and it has been enforced from 2025.
However, it has not moved to set a clear age limit on the use of social media by minors.
France
In 2023, France passed a law requiring social platforms to obtain parental consent for minors under 15 to create accounts.
However, local media has said technical challenges mean it has not yet been enforced.
In April 2024, a panel commissioned by President Emmanuel Macron recommended stricter rules, including banning cellphones for children under 11 and internet-enabled phones for those under 13.
It is unclear when new legislation could be adopted and to what extent it would follow the experts' recommendations.
open image in galleryCaroline Stage, Danish Minister for Digitalisation, feels there should be better protection of children and young people online (Ritzau Scanpix)Germany
Officially, minors between the ages of 13 and 16 are allowed to use social media in Germany only if their parents give consent.
However, child protection advocates say controls are insufficient and call for existing rules to be better implemented.
Italy
In Italy, children under the age of 14 need parental consent to sign up for social media accounts, while no consent is required from that age upwards.
Netherlands
While the Netherlands doesn't have any laws regarding a minimum age for social media use, the government did ban mobile devices in classrooms from January 2024 to reduce distractions. Exceptions apply for digital lessons, medical needs or disabilities.
Norway
The Norwegian government in October 2024 proposed raising the age at which children can consent to the terms required to use social media from 13 to 15 years, although parents would still be permitted to sign off on their behalf if they are under the age limit.
The centre-left government has also begun work on legislation to set an absolute legal minimum age limit of 15 years old for social media use, but it was not immediately clear when a law mandating this may reach parliament.
Half of Norway's nine-year-olds use some form of social media, according to the government.
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