Poland is preparing new legislation that would prohibit children under the age of 15 from using social media platforms. According to Education Minister Barbara Nowacka, the proposed law will require social media companies to take responsibility for verifying users’ ages.
The ruling Civic Coalition plans to present the draft proposal soon, and authorities intend to impose financial penalties on platforms that fail to restrict access to underage users. Officials expect the law could become effective by early 2027, though discussions about the exact amount of fines are still ongoing.
Nowacka stated that the government is concerned about the declining mental health and intellectual development of young people, which has raised alarms about excessive social media use. Similar regulatory measures are being considered across Europe, with countries such as Denmark, Greece, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom exploring restrictions to protect minors online. The British government has also indicated it is reviewing possible safeguards, following Australia’s implementation of comparable laws.
Spain has already announced plans to restrict social media access for teenagers under 16 and require platforms to enforce strict age-verification systems. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez emphasized the need to address hate speech, explicit content, and misinformation online, arguing that young users must be protected from harmful digital environments. He described the internet as needing stronger regulation to prevent negative impacts on children.
Meanwhile, legal action in the United States involving major tech companies like Meta and YouTube is underway, with accusations that platforms intentionally promote addictive features targeting young users. The case may set an important precedent regarding the legal responsibility of social media companies for youth safety and online content management.
