The Muted Generation: Why Countries Are Racing to Restrict Social Media for Kids

The Unusual Proposal

Vietnam is weighing the most unusual version yet of the youth social media bans that are sweeping the globe. Instead of kicking kids off platforms entirely, the country wants to let them stay logged in just muted.

Under a draft decree from Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, users under 16 would keep their social media accounts but lose the ability to post, comment, or react to content. The proposal would require social media accounts for children under 16 to be registered under a parent, who would then be responsible for monitoring the content the child accesses and their time spent on the platforms. The platforms themselves would be required to deploy technical measures to identify which of their users are children and restrict them to age-appropriate content.

Deputy Culture Minister Phan Tam said the goal isn't to ban or excessively restrict children's access to social media, but to ensure they're in an age-appropriate environment when they do use it. The decree hasn't been finalized and could still be revised before adoption. Vietnam is also considering separate restrictions on gaming, which would cap play for under-16 users at 60 minutes a day per game and apply the same parental registration requirement used for social media accounts.

Vietnam's approach is inventive, but it's hardly alone.

Why Now? The Global Push for Protection

Over the past months, many countries have announced plans to restrict social media access for children and teens. Australia became the first to implement such measures at the end of last year, setting a precedent that other countries are closely watching.

The regulations and proposals being brought forth by governments around the world aim to reduce the pressures and risks that young users may face on social media, which include cyberbullying, addiction, mental health issues including anxiety and depression, exposure to predators and harmful content, and sleep problems linked to excessive screen time.

Of course, there are concerns about privacy regarding invasive age verification and excessive government intervention. Critics, including Amnesty Tech, have further said such bans are ineffective and that they ignore the realities of younger generations. Many nations are moving ahead with proposed legislation anyway.

Australia: The Pioneer

Australia became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16 in December 2025. The ban blocks children from using Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, and Kick, though it notably doesn't include WhatsApp or YouTube Kids. The Australian government has said these social media companies must take steps to keep children off their services. Companies that fail to comply may face penalties of up to $49.5 million AUD ($34.4 million USD). The government says these platforms should use multiple verification methods to ensure that people using their services are older than 16 and that they can't rely on users simply entering their own age.

Austria

Austria said in late March that it will ban social media for children up to the age of 14. Draft legislation for the ban is expected to be finalized by June.

Canada

The Canadian government introduced a digital safety bill in early June that would ban social media for children under 16. Under the legislation, social media giants could sidestep the ban if they demonstrate they have policies to protect young users. Officials have said it could take a year for the bill to pass.

Denmark

Denmark is set to ban social media platforms for children under 15. The Danish government announced in November 2025 that it had secured support for the ban from three governing coalition parties and two opposition parties in parliament. The government's plans could become law as soon as mid-2026, according to the Associated Press. The Danish digital affairs ministry is also launching a "digital evidence" app that includes age verification tools that may be used as part of the ban.

France

France passed a law on July 21 banning access to social media for anyone under 15. The law could go into effect as soon as September 1. The law will also ban the use of cell phones in high schools, extending a ban already present in primary and middle schools.

Germany

In early February, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives discussed a proposal to bar children under 16 from using social media, Reuters reported. However, there were signs that his center-left coalition partners were hesitant to support an outright ban.

Greece

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced in April that the country is going to ban access to social media for children under 15 starting January 2027. Mitsotakis says the move is aimed at tackling rising anxiety and sleep problems among children, as well as the addictive design of social media.

Indonesia

Indonesia said in early March that it's banning children under the age of 16 from using social media and other popular online platforms. The country plans to start with platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox.

Malaysia

The Malaysian government said in November 2025 that it plans to ban social media for children under 16. The country plans to implement the ban this year.

Poland

Poland's ruling party is drafting new legislation that would ban children under 15 from using social media, Bloomberg reported in February.

Slovenia

Slovenia is drafting legislation to prohibit children under 15 from accessing social media, the country's deputy prime minister announced in early February. The government wants to regulate social networks where content is shared, citing platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram.

Spain

Spain's prime minister announced in early February that the country plans to ban social media for children under the age of 16. The ban still needs parliamentary approval. The Spanish government is also seeking to create a law that would make social media executives personally accountable for hate speech on their platforms.

Turkey

The Turkish parliament in April passed a bill to restrict social media access for children under 15. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan must now accept the bill for it to pass into law.

United Kingdom

U.K. prime minister Keir Starmer announced on June 15 that his government will impose a ban on social media use for children under 16 years of age. The ban would apply to a range of social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Messaging services like WhatsApp and Signal will not be included in the ban. There are also going to be limitations on AI tools, as AI "romantic companion" chatbots will have to ensure they are only usable by people over 18. Experts have questioned whether a blanket ban would be effective. Starmer has acknowledged the challenges but said he believes it's possible to enforce it. He said a ban could be in place by spring 2027.

Vietnam

Vietnam's proposal, as detailed above, remains in the drafting stage with its unusual "read-only" approach for users under 16.

The Debate: Protection vs. Freedom

Proponents of these bans argue that social media platforms are designed to be addictive and that children lack the cognitive maturity to resist their pull. They point to rising rates of teen anxiety and depression, cyberbullying incidents, exposure to harmful content, and sleep deprivation among youth. The argument is that governments have a responsibility to protect children, just as they do with alcohol, tobacco, and other age-restricted products.

Critics, including Amnesty Tech, argue that bans are ineffective and ignore the realities of younger generations. They raise concerns about privacy, as invasive age verification methods could compromise user data; about government overreach and excessive intervention into personal and family life; about effectiveness, given that tech-savvy kids will find ways around bans; about social isolation, as bans could cut children off from positive online communities; and about digital literacy, since bans don't teach children how to use technology responsibly.

The global movement to restrict children's access to social media shows no signs of slowing down. As more countries join the list, the pressure on platforms to implement effective age verification will only increase. Vietnam's "muted" approach, while creative, also demonstrates the challenges of enforcement: identification tools are imperfect, and children motivated to bypass restrictions can often find ways to circumvent them.

One thing is clear: the era of unfettered social media access for children is ending. Governments, platforms, and parents are all grappling with the same question how do we protect the next generation without cutting them off from the digital world they will inherit?