Social Media Restrictions for Minors: What Can Europe Learn From Australia?

Across the EU, political pressure is building to restrict access to social media for minors. Denmark, France and Germany are increasingly considering ID-verified bans for minors, with initial legislative proposals currently in the works.

As these debates intensify, Australia stands out as a key international precedent: the country has implemented far-reaching restrictions for under-16s – measures that are now influencing discussions well beyond its borders. 

As European policymakers consider next steps, we should ask: Do Australia-style social media restrictions for minors offer a viable model for Europe — or a warning sign? How is the ban so far affecting Australian teenagers, families, and platforms? And what, concretely, can the EU already learn from the Australian test bed?

These questions will be at the centre of Lena-Maria Böswald's 60-minute background discussion with Tom Sulston. Tom is the Head of Public Policy for Digital Rights Watch, an Australian not-for-profit organisation that closely monitors and engages in internet policymaking in Australia.