Several countries are tightening rules on children’s access to social media.

Australia barred users under 16 late last year. France recently approved a law targeting children under 15. Similar steps are under discussion in Denmark, Slovenia, Greece, Turkey and Britain.

The European Parliament has also urged stricter limits. UNICEF has warned that bans alone may not solve the problem and could create new risks if not combined with education and parental guidance.

The Czech government may now follow this trend.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said Sunday he supports restricting social media access for children under 15. He cited expert warnings about mental health risks and online harm. According to him, protecting minors must take priority.

Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlíček confirmed that discussions are underway. Experts, regulators and platform operators are involved.

The government wants to avoid delays and could present a proposal later this year. Havlíček argues that excessive social media use is increasingly affecting children’s daily lives, including mental health and school performance.

Not everyone is convinced. Alexandr Vondra, an MEP from the Civic Democrats, said the idea deserves debate but raised privacy concerns. Any restriction, he noted, must respect fundamental rights while remaining technically workable.

Hours of scrolling over harmful content is rewiring young brains and causing anxiety and other health hazards, experts say, compelling European governments to act.

“The specific focus on minors is due to the increased risk of long-term harm, since they are still developing cognitively,” Paul O. Richter, affiliate fellow with Brussels-based think tank Bruegel, told DW. “There is a lot of research showing strong correlations between social media usage and mental health issues.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also expressed support for an EU-wide age limit along the lines of a new Australian law that set an age limit of 16 for social media usage.

According to a senior official who spoke to news agency Reuters, Greece is “very close” to imposing a similar ban.

This week, Portugal submitted legislation that calls for parental consent for children under 16 to access social media content.

Austria is also contemplating a social media ban, while the United Kingdom has started a consultation process on the subject.

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