After Australia became the first country to introduce a social media ban for children under 16 in late 2025, governments across Europe have started exploring similar measures.
Countries including France, Spain, Greece and Denmark are now discussing restrictions for younger users, while the European Union is considering a region-wide proposal.
Speaking at the European Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Children in Copenhagen, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said conversations around a minimum age for social media “can no longer be ignored”, pointing to how rapidly technology is shaping childhood and adolescence.
Still, experts remain divided on whether banning teenagers from social media is the right solution.
For neuropsychiatrist Theo Compernolle, the concern is less about technology itself and more about what children may be losing in the process. He believes excessive scrolling can replace activities essential for healthy development, including sports, hobbies, friendships and face-to-face interaction.
“If you’re three hours involved with your phone, just swiping, scrolling, you don’t learn anything,” he said.
Compernolle also warned that vulnerable teenagers are often exposed to harmful or emotionally overwhelming content online, adding that social media platforms can be highly addictive by design.
But not everyone believes restrictions alone will solve the issue.
Sociologist Giovanna Mascheroni argues that the Australian experience has already revealed some limitations. Studies suggest many under-16s continue accessing major platforms despite the ban, while others simply migrate to alternative digital spaces that may be even less regulated.
“Age verification doesn’t work, or at least in Australia,” she said.
Mascheroni also raised concerns about teenagers increasingly turning to AI chatbots and conversational platforms for emotional interaction and advice. According to her, these systems can feel deeply human in the way they communicate, making young users more likely to trust them without fully questioning the information they receive.
Rather than focusing entirely on banning children, she believes more responsibility should fall on technology companies themselves, especially around safety, privacy and child protection by design.
The wider debate reflects a growing concern shared by many modern families: children are growing up in a world where digital life begins earlier than ever before, while parents, schools and policymakers are still trying to catch up.