A growing number of countries are moving to block social media access for children under 16, and the list has continued to expand in 2026.
Australia became the first country to put a nationwide under-16 social media ban into law, with the first restrictions taking effect in December 2025.
Since then, other governments have followed with their own versions of the policy. The UK announced in June 2026 that it will ban social media for under-16s from spring 2027, saying it will go further than a simple age gate by also restricting harmful features such as livestreaming and stranger communication.
However, the details differ depending on the country.
France has approved a bill to ban social media for under-15s, while Austria has set out plans for a minimum age of 14. Norway has also moved toward a 16-and-under approach, though its proposals have not yet taken effect.
Some countries have chosen different age thresholds altogether. The UAE has announced a minimum age of 15 for social media use, while other jurisdictions are still debating whether to introduce tighter rules for children and teens.
In the US, several individual states have introduced protections for children online, but there is still no single federal law that places a broad ban or restriction on children using social media.
These laws and proposals are being introduced to reduce the pressure and dangers young people can encounter online, including cyberbullying, addictive platform features, harmful content and contact with predators.
Azerbaijan has now joined the list of countries pushing for a hard age limit. Its parliament has backed plans to prohibit social media accounts for anyone under 16, with teenagers aged 16 to 18 only able to use accounts with parental permission.
Under the same rules, users would need to complete age verification using a bank card, a mobile phone number and an email address. A small sum would be charged to the card and then refunded.
Officials say the change is part of a wider effort to shield children from harmful material and limit the addictive pull of certain online features.
The country is also introducing significant penalties for companies that do not comply.
Once platforms have been on the list for six months, they can be fined up to 400,000 Azerbaijani manats, or roughly $235,000. If breaches continue, authorities can then begin progressively limiting the provider’s traffic within the country.
While supporters argue that stricter age limits could give children more protection and less pressure online, critics say enforcement will be difficult, particularly where teenagers can bypass restrictions using fake details, VPNs or accounts held by adults.