All it takes is a slight push for the first domino to lose its balance and set off a chain reaction. In the case of digital age of majority, this push was the amendment to the minimum age in Australia’s Online Safety Act in 2024.
With this measure, digital social media platforms operating in the country are required to carry out age verification to prevent access by children under 16. Ten platforms have been affected by this: Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube.
The minimum age requirement for social media came into effect in December 2025, positioning Australia as a pioneer and global benchmark. This has prompted several countries to adopt similar measures, setting minimum ages for social media use due to concerns about the digital safety and mental health of children and adolescents.
Some countries have already passed regulations implementing a digital age of majority. Examples include Brazil (the Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents or “ECA Digital”, which requires user accounts for those under 16 to be linked to legal guardians and have parental consent), Indonesia (the Regulation on the Protection of Minors in the Digital Space or “PP TUNAS”, which allows children under 13 to access only platforms exclusively for children, and requires parental consent for children aged 13 to 16), and Malaysia (the Online Safety Act, which requires the implementation of eKYC age verification of government-issued IDs to block users under 16 from social media).
Other countries have begun discussions on future implementations of digital age of majority, such as Egypt, India, Japan and South Africa, among others.
The debate on digital age of majority in Europe
The first reference to the defence of a European digital age of majority took place in French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron’s 2024 Europe Speech at the Sorbonne in Paris. In his speech, he called on the European Union to include the minimum age for access to social media on the political agenda.
A year later, France, together with Spain and Greece, circulated a non-paper with a proposal to establish a digital age of majority for access to social media. Months later, at the Telecommunications Council, these countries presented their proposal to the other Member States, resulting in the addition of signatures from Cyprus, Slovenia and Denmark.
At the same time, the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) developed and presented its own-initiative report on the protection of minors online. The report proposes 16 as the digital age of majority. It also suggests establishing a harmonised digital age in Europe for accessing social media platforms, video-sharing platforms and AI companions, with the possibility of access at 13 if parents or guardians give their consent.
In the 2025 State of the Union address, President Von der Leyen referred to the case of Australia, stating that the European Commission was considering actions to adopt a minimum age for access to social media. She also expressed her intention to create a panel of experts to advise her on the next steps.
The following month, Member States’ ministers for digitalisation met in Denmark to sign the Jutland Declaration for the protection of minors in digital environments in Europe. Although it does not explicitly refer to digital age of majority, the declaration states that “we cannot leave it to social media to decide the age limits”.
Shortly afterwards, members of parliament approved by a large majority a resolution on age restrictions in the digital environment. Although not legally binding, the resolution sought to highlight the mental health risks to which minors are exposed on social media, due to the inherently addictive nature of these platforms’ business model.
Finally, this year, the introduction of the recently presented Action Plan against Cyberbullying refers to digital age of majority as an essential measure for the protection of minors online. More specifically, it promotes the search for a European approach to access ages and consent that would ensure “that all European children receive equal protection and would avoid legal fragmentation in the digital single market.”
Progress in European Union countries
Member States are moving forward with national initiatives to establish an age of majority, essentially for social media. Examples include France, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece and Spain, among others.
France
In January this year, French lawmakers approved a bill to be introduced in 2023 that prohibits access to social media for children under the age of 15. It is expected to come into force in September, coinciding with the start of the next school year.
Portugal
Last month, the Portuguese Parliament approved a bill setting the age of access to social media platforms, video sharing services and open communication services at 16. However, it will allow access for those over 13 with verified parental consent.
Netherlands
In 2025, the Dutch government published recommendations advising parents not to allow children under the age of 15 to access social media platforms. This year, following the formation of the new tripartite government, the goal of establishing a binding minimum age of 15 has been set.
Greece
For its part, the Greek government is preparing a law that would prohibit the use of social media for children and adolescents under the age of 15, with no possibility of access for younger users even with parental consent. Access will be restricted through the “Kids Wallet“, an application currently in use to prevent the sale of tobacco and alcohol to minors.
Spain
Finally, in Spain, Pedro Sanchez announced at the World Government Summithis plans to introduce a ban on the use of social media for children under the age of 16, which would be accompanied by criminal liability for platform executives in the event of non-compliance and the classification of algorithmic manipulation as a crime.
The key question: how can we ensure compliance with digital age of majority?
To realise the political will for digital age of majority, it is necessary to develop age verification systems that are effective, interoperable and respectful of user privacy.
There are currently several age verification initiatives. Examples include:
At the European level, the European Commission has made available a model for an age verification solution, which is expected to be interoperable with European Digital Identity Wallets (eID).
At the national level, Greece has the Kids Walletsapp, a system that connects parents’ and children’s devices and generates a barcode that verifies age. In the future, the government hopes to use it to integrate verification into platform registration processes.
Finally, at the private sector level, Meta is collaborating with Singapore-based company K-ID to integrate AgeKey technology into its platforms. AgeKey works using the same standards-based technology employed by facial or fingerprint recognition integrated into smartphones.
In conclusion, the issue of digital age of majority has transcended isolated debate, sparking a global movement. It now seems that the strange thing is not who is implementing this measure, but who is not. It remains to be seen whether it can be effectively implemented through age verification systems.
