Austria’s government announced Friday it will ban social media for children under 14, joining a growing list of nations cracking down on platform access for minors over addiction and safety concerns.
The three-party coalition in Vienna said it reached an agreement after months of talks and will present draft legislation by the end of June, setting a compulsory minimum age of 14. Officials said the measure targets “algorithms that create addiction” and exposure to sexual abuse material, unrealistic beauty standards, violence glorification, and misinformation.
Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler of the Social Democrats told reporters the government “will no longer stand by and watch while these platforms make our children addicted and often also sick.” He added, “The risks associated with this use were ignored for long enough, and now it is time to act,” reported Reuters.
Junior minister for digitization Alexander Pröll, from the People’s Party, said at the same news conference, “Austria is introducing a compulsory minimum age of 14 for the use of social media platforms,” reported Al Jazeera. He said draft legislation will include “technically modern methods” of age verification that respect user privacy.
The plan also includes curriculum reforms starting in the 2027-28 school year to strengthen media literacy and artificial intelligence education. Cabinet members from all three governing parties attended the announcement.
Austria has become the latest European country to move on the issue, Global News reported. Australia began enforcing a social media ban for users under 16 in December 2025, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. Several other nations have proposed similar restrictions in recent months.
Officials did not specify an exact implementation date or enforcement mechanism beyond the June draft deadline. The legislation would still require parliamentary approval before taking effect. Babler said politicians have a responsibility to protect children in the digital world the same way they regulate alcohol and tobacco. “Today is a good day for children in our country,” he stated.
The announcement comes as courts and regulators worldwide scrutinize social media design features and their effects on developing brains.
