Governments worldwide are rewriting the rules for how social media platforms can interact with minors. The pace has accelerated sharply since Australia became the first country to enforce a blanket under-16 ban in December 2025. Several EU member states have followed with under-15 laws, and the EU itself is layering on the Digital Services Act, the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act, and a bloc-wide age verification app.
This page tracks the current state in every country we cover — sortable by status, age limit, or year. It is updated monthly. See our methodology for how status fields are sourced and verified.
Governments around the world are taking unprecedented action to protect children online. In 2026, a wave of new legislation is reshaping how technology companies must treat young users — and what parents can expect from the platforms their children use every day.
Here is what you need to know about the most important child protection laws taking effect this year.
9
Enforced
5
Passed
5
In Progress
2
Guidelines
Child Protection Laws by Country
Country
Law
Min. Age
Status
Year
🇦🇺 Australia
Social Media Minimum Age Act 2024
16+
Enforced
2024
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Online Safety Act 2023
13+
Enforced
2023
🇩🇪 Germany
Jugendschutzgesetz (JuSchG)
13+
Guidelines
2021
🇨🇳 China
Minor Protection Law + PIPL
14+
Enforced
2021
🇰🇷 South Korea
Youth Protection Act
14+
Enforced
2020
🇮🇪 Ireland
Online Safety and Media Regulation Act
13+
Enforced
2022
🇳🇱 Netherlands
GDPR (UAVG) + DSA
16+
Enforced
2024
🇸🇪 Sweden
GDPR + DSA
13+
Enforced
2024
🇬🇷 Greece
Social Media Ban for Minors (proposed)
15+
In Progress
2026
🇮🇩 Indonesia
Social Media Age Restriction
16+
Enforced
2026
🇨🇾 Cyprus
Social Media Ban for Under-15s
15+
Passed
2026
🇫🇷 France
Loi SREN + Social Media Ban
15+
Passed
2026
🇧🇷 Brazil
ECA Digital (Law 15,211/2025)
12+
Enforced
2025
🇮🇳 India
DPDP Act 2023
18+
Passed
2023
🇮🇹 Italy
DSA + Parental Consent Law
14+
Passed
2025
🇪🇸 Spain
Organic Law for Protection of Minors in Digital Environments (draft)