Austria to Limit Social‑Media Access to Users Aged 14 and Over

The Austrian federal government is preparing a new law that would restrict the use of social‑media platforms to individuals who are at least 14 years old. Experts such as media scholar Valerie Hase of the Alpe‑Adria University in Klagenfurt welcome the move but warn that an age‑based ban alone will not protect children. Hase points to Australia’s similar restriction, where many youths bypass the rule with secondary accounts and studies show no clear reduction in screen time.

Children‑rights lawyer Astrid Liebhauser stresses that parental involvement and media‑literacy education are essential for any effective protection. The draft legislation, which targets platforms with “addictive” features like endless scrolling and auto‑play, is slated to take effect at the turn of the year.