Countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas are moving to restrict minors’ access to platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, following Australia’s upcoming under‑16 ban. The trend reflects growing alarm over the mental‑health impact of social media on teenagers, and lawmakers are proposing a mix of age verification, parental consent and outright prohibitions.

Australia’s A$49.5 million penalty framework kicks in Dec 10, 2025

Australia’s law, which takes effect on 10 December 2025, will bar anyone under 16 from using major social netowrks and impose fines of up to A$49.5 million on non‑compliant companies, according to the source. The legislation also requiires platforms to report AI‑generated threats and to establish a dedicated digital regulator, making it one of the toughest regimes globally.

Canada’s online‑harm bill mirrors Australia’s age limit

In Ottawa, policymakers are drafting a sweeping online‑harm bill that would ban under‑16 access unless platforms meet strict safety standards, the report says. The proposal includes a carve‑out for services that can demonstrate effective content moderation,allowing them to re‑enable teen accounts under supervision.

Europe’s patchwork of consent rules and bans

Across the EU, nations such as Denmark, France, Germany and Spain are each crafting their own rules, ranging from mandatory parental consent to full bans for younger teens. The source notes that the United Kingdom is focusing on device‑level detection tools to stop minors from sharing explicit images, while a continent‑wide push for age verification is also under discussion.

India and China adopt divergent but strict approaches

India’s chief economic adviser has called social platforms “predatory” and urged age limits, with the state of Goa modeling its regulations on Australia’s model. Meanwhile, China already runs a “minor mode” that restricts app usage and enforces screen‑time caps, illustrating a more technologically enforced strategy.

Unanswered questions: enforcement and privacy hurdles

How will governments verify ages without infringing on privacy, and can platforms realistically monitor billions of users? The source highlights that enforcement mechanisms and data‑protection concerns remain largely unresolved,leaving a critical gap between policy intent and practical rollout.