Overview
- Australia’s law, in force since December 10, 2025, bars under‑16s from major platforms, requires monthly reporting to the eSafety Commissioner, mandates age checks, and threatens fines up to AU$50 million.
- France has approved a 15+ threshold for social media access as leaders press for stricter checks, with Denmark announcing a 15 limit and Norway, Spain, New Zealand and the United Kingdom considering similar measures.
- Meta and Google say they will disconnect accounts identified as underage and provide appeal or document‑based verification, while Snap and TikTok question the reliability and safety of age‑assurance tools.
- UNAM legal scholars and other specialists argue bans do not equal protection and urge comprehensive policy including digital literacy, device‑level parental controls, transparency around recommendation algorithms, and limits on manipulative design.
- Analysts warn large‑scale age verification could require IDs or facial scans, expand data repositories, and drive teens toward less regulated spaces, with the scientific link to widespread mental‑health harm described as contested.