Follow in Australia's Footsteps, Here's a List of Countries That May Ban Teenagers from Accessing Social Media in 2026

Plan to impose social media bans on teenagers in countries other than Australia (photo: doc. unsplash)

JAKARTA - Australia berhasil menjadi negara pertama yang melarang media sosial bagi remaja di bawah 16 tahun. Aturan yang awalnya kontroversial ini akhirnya mulai dikaji oleh banyak negara.

A number of countries have shown their interest in adopting similar bans. In fact, Indonesia is one of the countries that are considering the ban. Here is a list of countries that plan to ban social media for teenagers in 2026.

New Zealand

The New Zealand Parliament will introduce a bill (RUU) to limit social media for children under 16 years of age. This initiative requires each platform to implement strict age verification to protect adolescents from the negative impact of online activities.

The bill was introduced by Catherine Wedd and has officially been selected to be brought to a parliamentary hearing after going through a ceremonial vote. Currently, the relevant committee is also examining the role of the government and the business world in addressing the threat of danger in the digital space.

Malaysia

Malaysia plans to follow in Australia's footsteps by banning children under the age of 16 from accessing social media from next year. Malaysia's Communications Minister, Fahmi Fadzil, said this step was chosen to protect young people from cyberbullying.

The neighboring country also wants to protect children from cases of sexual abuse, financial fraud, and other security threats. The local government is exploring technical mechanisms so that social media platforms can comply with the new rules.

South Korea

The candidate for head of the South Korean Broadcasting and Media Commission, Kim Jong-cheol, plans to implement social media restrictions if he is elected to the post. Through this rule, he wants to create a safe and orderly communication environment for minors.

During the hearing, Kim expressed his support for an age-based restriction model as implemented in Australia. He believes that protecting adolescents in the digital context is a major mission that must be immediately carried out by the institution.

Denmark

The Danish government has proposed a ban on the use of social media platforms for children under the age of 15, unlike the age applied by Australia, which is 16 years. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen believes that mobile phones and social media are harmful to the mental health of the younger generation.

The Danish Ministry of Digitization assessed that excessive use of social media can lead to anxiety and depression disorders. The Danish government will ensure that children's free time is not spent only scrolling through digital content.

Indonesia

Indonesia will be one of the countries that follows Australia's footsteps, namely banning social media for children under 16 years of age. This ban will be realized through the PP Tunas which was signed in March 2025.

Even though it has revealed its plans, the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) has not released a list of platforms that will be included in the restrictions. High-risk platforms will require users to be at least 16 years old with parental supervision.

France

French President Emmanuel Macron intends to impose a minimum age of 15 to 16 years for access to social media before his term ends in 2027. If the European Union does not immediately make similar rules, France is ready to launch a national ban independently.

Macron is committed to requiring age verification for all users in order to keep children away from exposure to harmful content. According to him, children under the age of maturity should not access social media.