Across Europe, more governments are asking a big question: should children under 15 be allowed on social media at all? Apps like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are a normal part of life for many young people, but worries about cyberbullying, poor sleep, mental health, and addictive platform design are growing fast. In Europe, the discussion is no longer only about advice for families. It is becoming a debate about law, age checks, and the responsibility of big tech companies. (europarl.europa.eu)
France is one of the clearest examples. In January 2026, France approved legislation to ban access to social networks for children under 15, and the government says it wants the rule to start in September 2026, at the beginning of the school year. Greece followed in April 2026 with plans for a total ban for children 15 and under, aiming to put it into effect on January 1, 2027. Denmark has also reached a political agreement on a ban for under-15s that could become law in 2026. In the Netherlands, the government has not passed a ban, but it now advises parents to keep children under 15 away from platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. (elysee.fr)
Spain is moving in the same direction, and even more strongly. In February 2026, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Spain plans to ban social media for children under 16 and require effective age verification, not simple self-reported age boxes. This did not appear suddenly. In June 2025, Spain and 10 other European governments sent a letter to the European Commission asking for mandatory age verification for social media and a common European framework to protect minors online. (lamoncloa.gob.es)
The European Union is now building tools for that future. On July 14, 2025, the European Commission published child-protection guidelines under the Digital Services Act and introduced a privacy-friendly age-verification blueprint. On April 15, 2026, it presented a Digital Age Verification App that can help users prove their age without sharing extra personal data. The European Parliament has also supported a harmonized EU minimum age of 16 for social media, with parental consent for ages 13 to 16, though this is not law yet. Europe has not finished the argument, but one message is clear: the age of “just click and join” is starting to end. (digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu)










