Austria to Ban Social Media for Children Under 14

Australia led the trend for governments to impose restrictions on minors accessing social media after banning under-16s from having accounts in December.

Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler of the Social Democrats, Secretary of State for Digitalization Alexander Proell of the People’s Party, and Minister of Education Christoph Wiederkehr of the Neos party hold a press conference on plans to ban social media for children under 14 years of age in Vienna on March 27, 2026. Elisabeth Mandl/Reuters

Austria’s government on March 27 said it plans to introduce a ban on social media for under-14s, citing concerns over child safety, addiction, and cyberbullying.

Social media “exacerbates distractions and concentration problems, while personalized advertising and algorithmic content increase the pressure on young people,” the federal government said in a statement.