Countries Rush to Adopt Social Media Age Restrictions, from America to Europe

The government has officially implemented Government Regulation Number 17 of 2025 concerning Governance of the Electrolyte System Implementation in Child Protection (PP Tunas). This regulation serves as the legal umbrella for child protection in the digital space. Through its derivative rule, Ministerial Regulation Number 0 of 2026, access for children under 16 years of age is now restricted from using social media. This rule is increasingly being adopted in other countries. Previously, Australia had already taken firm action to block social media access for minors under 16 since December 2025. Now, countries in Europe and Asia have also implemented or plan to implement similar rules. Recently, the state of Ohio in the United States also received the green light to implement a rule requiring social media companies to obtain parental consent before allowing children under 16 to use their platforms. This is quite surprising, considering the US is the home base for tech giants that develop social media, such as Meta Platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Threads), Alphabet (YouTube), and X. So, what is the response from US citizens regarding the discourse on limiting social media access for children? Unexpectedly, according to a survey by research firm Pew Research Center, nearly 6 in 10 adults in the US actually support a social media ban for children under 16. About 1 in 5 US adults oppose a social media ban for children under 16, while about a quarter are unsure about the proposed regulation. The survey was conducted from 26 May to 1 June 2026. Many countries such as Indonesia, Australia, Canada, and the UK have already implemented or are considering rules banning social media access for minors. In the US, besides Ohio, policymakers in California are also considering formulating similar regulations. Many social media platforms currently require users to be at least 13 years old to create their own accounts. According to Pew Research findings, more parents with children under 18 support banning underage social media access than adults without children under 18. The idea of this regulation also receives bipartisan support. More US adults from both the Republican and Democratic parties support a social media access ban for teenagers than oppose it. Besides the discussion on restricting social media access for teenagers under 16, the Pew Research survey also measured US adults’ preferences for social media use. As many as 85% of US adults support social media companies implementing parental consent for children to open social media accounts. This percentage increased compared to 81% in 2023. A total of 78% also support age verification requirements for using social media platforms, up from 71% in 2023. Finally, 78% also support a feature limiting social media access duration for children, up from 69% in 2023.