Austria added to countries pushing social media ban for minors

International

CHILDREN under 14 could soon be barred from social media in Austria, after the country’s coalition government agreed on plans to introduce new age-based restrictions on digital platforms.

The conservative-led coalition has approved the measure in principle, following extended negotiations, though details on enforcement and timing are still pending.

Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler, leader of the Social Democrats, said the government could not ignore the effects of social media on young users, warning that platforms were contributing to addiction and harming children’s well-being.

He added that the proposed restrictions would protect children under 14 from algorithm-driven content, and added that protections already applied to traditional media should extend online.

“There must be clear rules in the digital world too,” he said in a BBC report.

In the United States this week, a jury concluded that two major platforms had deliberately developed addictive algorithms that harmed young users’ mental health.

Technology companies argue that children under 13 are already prohibited from signing up and that parental control versions exist, though critics question how effectively these rules are enforced.

Several countries have introduced or are considering similar limits. Australia banned social media for under-16s in December. France approved a restriction for under-15s in January, prompting President Emmanuel Macron to welcome Austria’s move as part of a broader trend.

The UK has launched a consultation on a potential under-16 ban, while Denmark, Greece, Spain, and Ireland are also reviewing age restrictions.

Austria’s Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr described social media as harmful and stressed that young people must learn to use it responsibly.

Alexander Pröll, the state secretary for digitalisation, said a draft bill would be presented by the end of June and is expected to outline an age-verification system.

Opposition figures criticized the plan. Christian Hafenecker of the far-right Freedom Party called it “a direct attack on young people’s freedom of expression and freedom of information.”

Political analyst Thomas Hofer said the measure is popular with parents and allows the government to project control amid broader challenges such as rising prices and budget concerns.

The social media restrictions are part of wider education reforms, including more lessons on democracy and artificial intelligence and fewer Latin classes in secondary schools.(MyTVCebu)