ÖVP Reacts Angrily

Brussels Halts Austria’s Social Media Ban

Austria sought to protect children under 14 from problematic platform features through stricter rules. Now, the planned ban is at risk of being delayed due to concerns from Brussels.(Bild: APA/MAX SLOVENCIK)

Austria’s planned social media ban for children under 14 will have to wait another year. The European Commission has extended the standstill period for the draft legislation. Behind this decision lies a dispute over the right approach to child protection—and over uniform rules across Europe.

The Austrian federal government had planned to protect children under 14 from the dangers of social media with stricter rules. But for now, that won’t be happening. The European Commission has extended the standstill period for the Austrian draft legislation by one year, as it announced Thursday in Brussels. This means the national measure cannot take effect until the end of July 2027 at the earliest without risking EU infringement proceedings.

EU Wants to Avoid a Patchwork of Rules
The Commission cited the planned EU Kids’ Act as the reason for this decision. The act is intended to create a uniform European legal framework that protects children and adolescents in all member states. The goal is to prevent divergent national regulations.

“This is absolutely necessary to prevent fragmentation of our single market,” a spokesperson for the European Commission explained on Thursday. Brussels stated that the EU cannot afford market fragmentation.

Endless scrolling, autoplay, and personalized recommendations are the focus of the proposed Austrian regulation.(Bild: lev dolgachov)

Austria submitted its draft legislation for a social media ban on children under 14 to the European Commission at the end of July. Now, the standstill period—which is used to review national draft legislation for compliance with EU law—has been extended by one year.

Pröll Criticizes Decision from Brussels
Alexander Pröll (ÖVP), State Secretary for Digitalization, had already sharply criticized the European Commission’s decision. He told the “Standard” that it was unacceptable for Brussels to block member states from enacting national legislation without presenting a ready-made European solution itself.

It is unacceptable for the EU to block national legislation without having already presented a ready-made solution itself, Pröll said.(Bild: Eva Manhart)

Austria nevertheless intends to push the law forward at the national level as far as possible. According to Pröll, the federal government has also sent the European Commission a letter outlining a concrete roadmap.

Government Aims to Better Protect Children
With this initiative, the Austrian federal government aims to protect children and adolescents from the harmful effects of early social media use. The draft was submitted for review this summer. The regulation is to be implemented through an amendment to the Audiovisual Media Services Act.

The focus is on a minimum age of 14 for the use of certain social media platforms. It is therefore not a blanket ban on all digital services for children.

National Initiative Put on Hold for Now
The extension of the standstill period significantly delays the potential launch of the Austrian initiative. It could take effect before the end of July 2027, but this would carry the risk of EU infringement proceedings.

Meanwhile, the Commission intends to move forward with the European legal framework. The current communication does not yet specify when the EU Kids’ Act will actually take effect or what the common rules will look like exactly.