Kazakhstan joins worldwide drive to protect children on social media

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the initiative while addressing the Republican August Conference of Teachers, saying the Government had already drafted the relevant legislation and submitted it to Parliament in June.

“The Government has developed a bill providing for a ban on the registration of users under the age of 16 on social networks,” Tokayev said. He added that he would propose that lawmakers consider the issue at the opening of the first session of the Qurultay.

According to the President, Kazakhstan's existing legislation on protecting children from harmful information, adopted in 2018, needs to be reconsidered and significantly updated to reflect the modern digital environment.

The proposed changes would bring Kazakhstan closer to a growing international movement seeking to introduce minimum age requirements for social media and place greater responsibility on technology companies for protecting young users.

Global push to restrict children’s social media access

Australia became the first country to introduce a nationwide minimum social media age of 16. Since December 10, 2025, major platforms have been required to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts.

Australia's move has since been followed by similar initiatives elsewhere. In neighboring New Zealand, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced legislation that would prohibit children under 16 from using social media and require platforms to verify users' ages. Companies that fail to comply could face significant financial penalties.

In Europe, several governments are pursuing comparable restrictions, although the proposed age limits and implementation mechanisms vary. Norway has announced plans to establish a minimum social media age of 16, while Türkiye has moved toward restrictions for younger users.

France has gone further by becoming the first European country to approve a ban on social media access for children under 15. The legislation, establishing what the government calls a “digital majority,” was definitively adopted by Parliament and will begin taking effect on September 1, with a gradual rollout continuing until January 1, 2027.

The United Kingdom is also moving toward a nationwide restriction. The government plans to ban children under 16 from accessing major platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube and X. Legislation is expected to be introduced in Parliament before the end of 2026, with the restrictions scheduled to take effect in spring 2027. The proposals also include stronger age-verification requirements and safeguards limiting minors' access to livestreaming and communication with strangers.

Spain is pursuing a similar course. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced plans to prohibit children under 16 from using social media as part of broader legislation on digital protection for minors. The proposal, which requires parliamentary approval, would require platforms to introduce effective age-verification systems. Spain is also considering measures to hold technology companies and their executives accountable for illegal or harmful content.

The trend extends beyond Europe. Indonesia became the first country in Asia to introduce a social media ban for children under 16, preventing them from creating or maintaining accounts on major platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and X. The measure is intended to protect minors from cyberbullying, digital addiction and harmful content, although it has also prompted concerns over freedom of expression and the incomes of young content creators.

In the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates has introduced its own age-based system. Under regulations approved by the UAE Cabinet, children under 15 will be prohibited from creating or using personal social media accounts. Teenagers aged 15 to 16 will be allowed access with enhanced protections, including parental supervision and restrictions on content and interactions. Platforms will also be required to introduce reliable age-verification systems.

While the measures differ from country to country, they reflect a common challenge facing governments worldwide: how to protect children online while ensuring effective age verification, safeguarding privacy and preserving access to the benefits of the digital environment.

If adopted, Kazakhstan's proposed legislation would place the country among a growing group of states imposing stricter boundaries on children's social media use, as governments increasingly shift responsibility for protecting minors toward online platforms.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Meta had agreed to pay up to $18 billion and introduce new limits on teenage use of Facebook and Instagram under settlements with most U.S. states.