Belgium to ban social media for children under 15

Children with a smartphone. Illustrative photo: Brussels Times

On December 2, 2025, Belgium’s High Council of Health called for better protection of young people when using screens and, in particular, social media. The document states that children’s access to online platforms must be limited, forming the basis for upcoming regulatory changes.

The report recommends establishing a minimum age for using social networks, as current measures are no longer sufficient. Belgium already bans smartphones in schools, yet experts argue that children require broader protection online.

Political parties have proposed different approaches. Some government representatives support a minimum age of 13, while others insist on raising the threshold to 15. Advocates of stricter measures warn that social networks can cause significant harm to children and that strong regulatory oversight is needed.

The government plans to submit the initiative for parliamentary discussion. Meanwhile, other European countries are introducing similar restrictions, and Australia has already fully prohibited teenagers under 16 from creating accounts on major social networks.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Malaysia will ban social media for children under 16.

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