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March 28, 2026
News

Austria becomes latest to propose social media ban for children

A

ustria has announced plans to ban social media for children aged under 14, becoming the latest country to consider introducing restrictions for children online.

It follows lengthy negotiations within the conservative-led three-party coalition government, but it is not yet clear how or when the ban will be implemented.

Announcing the plans, Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler of the Social Democrats said the government could not stand by and watch as social media made children "addicted and also often ill".

He said it was the responsibility of politicians to protect children and argued that the issue should be treated no different to alcohol or tobacco: "There must be clear rules in the digital world too."

In future, said Babler, children under 14 would be protected from algorithms that were addictive.

Read the full article on BBC.

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