Portugal Proposes Social Media Age Restrictions

Portugal has proposed legislation requiring parental consent for minors under 16 to access social media platforms, joining a growing number of European countries like Spain, France, Denmark, Greece, Austria, and Italy in tightening age restrictions. This move reflects increasing concerns over child safety online, with scientific studies linking heavy social media use to anxiety and depression in adolescents. The International===European Parliament has recommended a minimum age of 16, and the International===European Commission is developing an EU age-verification tool. Major platforms, including ByteDance===TikTok, are responding by updating their age-check systems. Outside the European Union, Australia has already implemented a nationwide ban for under-16s, and the United States and the United Kingdom are also exploring similar measures.