Global surge in social media regulations for minors

Global efforts to regulate social media use among minors are intensifying through both legislative bans and judicial rulings. In Australia, a ban prohibiting children under 16 from holding social media accounts went into effect in late 2025. Tech companies face fines of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars for failing to prevent underage access, though reports indicate some adolescents have attempted to bypass age verification tools.

In the United States, a Los Angeles court issued a landmark ruling against Meta and YouTube, finding them liable for designing platforms that deliberately foster dependency in minors. The case highlighted how features like infinite scrolling and algorithmic recommendations can contribute to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

Currently, five countries—Australia, Brazil, France, Indonesia, and Malaysia—have active legislation regarding minor social media use, with approximately twenty other nations, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and Colombia, considering similar measures. While legislators aim to mitigate the negative consequences of problematic digital use, experts continue to debate the practical applicability and effectiveness of these regulations.