Tracking Efforts To Restrict Or Ban Teens from Social Media Across the Globe

Tech Policy Press interns CJ Larkin and Max Morgan contributed research support on this project.

From Australia’s nationwide under-16 ban to fast-moving proposals in Europe, Asia, and the United States, governments across continents are rethinking whether children and teenagers should have open access to social media. Some restrictions are already in effect. Others are moving through legislatures, undergoing public consultation, or facing legal challenges in court.

The surge in proposals is driven by mounting concern over adolescent mental health and the role platforms may play, especially in light of the recent Grok scandal, which produced sexual deepfakes of minors. Policymakers increasingly cite research linking heavy and prolonged platform use to rising rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and eating disorders among adolescents, arguing that the scale and speed of digital exposure have outpaced existing safeguards.

But the push for bans is far from settled. Supporters frame age limits as overdue public-health protections, comparing them to restrictions on alcohol or gambling. Critics counter that outright bans may be technically porous, drive teens into less-regulated corners of the internet, require intrusive age-verification systems, and raise constitutional and free expression concerns. And industry is pushing back.

Our Global Social Media Age Restriction Tracker maps and monitors these legislative efforts across jurisdictions. This is a living resource that we intend to update intermittently. Legislation is moving quickly, and implementation details often shift. If you’re aware of new proposals, amendments, or enforcement updates we should include, please contact us.