Austria considers social media ban for children under 14

BRUSSELS

Austria is considering a ban on social media use for children under 14, following similar moves in Australia and France, State Secretary for Digital Affairs Alexander Proll told public broadcaster ORF on Tuesday.

Proll announced that the government aims to implement the ban at the start of the new school year and is examining technical solutions to enforce it.

Experts from political parties will meet to develop a detailed concept, with Australia serving as a model for age verification methods.

In Australia, users are required to provide identification, while platforms also use facial and voice recognition and behavioral analysis.

The coalition partners Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPO) and liberal NEOS party support the principle of a ban but disagree on implementation.

NEOS media spokesperson Henrike Brandstotter opposed adopting the Australian model, citing concerns about data collection, and suggested waiting for the "eID" system, which is expected to be operational by 2027.

The proposed age limit in Austria is under discussion, with Proll favoring 14, which aligns with the age of legal capacity and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which allows member states to set the age for consent to online data processing between 13 and 16 years.

The SPO has called for a national ban if a European-wide solution is not agreed upon by the end of 2025.

The far-right Freedom Party (FPO) criticized the plan, claiming it restricts freedom of expression, while the Greens demand mandatory age verification and penalties for non-compliant platforms.

At the EU level, leaders have endorsed age limits to protect minors in the digital space.

The European Parliament, having previously called for a minimum age of 13 for social networks, video platforms, and AI chatbots, is urging the European Commission to set a binding age limit by the end of 2026.

A French bill, backed by President Emmanuel Macron, was approved Monday by the National Assembly's lower house. It aims to enforce the ban at the start of the 2026 school year, with full age verification for all users set to be in place by Jan. 1, 2027.