Austria considers implementing social media ban for minors aged 13 and under

Austria Introduces Compulsory Minimum Age of 14 for Social Media Use

Austrian officials have announced plans to ban children under the age of 14 from using social media platforms nationwide. The decision was made in an effort to protect young people from the potential negative effects of online usage.

According to Alexander Proll, junior minister for digitisation, draft legislation will be drawn up by June. The government aims to “decisively protect children and young people” from the risks associated with social media use.

Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler stated that the government will not list specific platforms subject to the ban, but rather focus on those with addictive algorithms and content such as “sexualised violence”. This approach is in line with recent court decisions, including a landmark lawsuit in Los Angeles where Alphabet’s Google and Meta were found liable for $6m in damages due to social media addiction.

Similar measures have been implemented in other countries, including the United Kingdom, which advises parents to limit screen time for children under five to one hour per day. The European Parliament has also called for the EU to set minimum ages for accessing social media, although implementation is left to individual member states.

The French parliament recently voted in favour of banning children aged below 15 from social media, citing concerns over online bullying and mental health risks. Other countries, including Denmark, Spain, and Greece, are also exploring similar bans.

Source: Al Jazeera