Belgium Region Sets Binding Age Limit for Harmful Social Media Apps
While existing regulations already prohibit children under 13 from opening social media accounts, officials acknowledged the rules have been routinely bypassed due to near-total absence of enforcement, according to the Belga news agency. The new decree is designed to close that gap by compelling platforms — including TikTok and Snapchat — to install rigorous screening mechanisms that actively block underage users from gaining access.
The legislation emerges from an intensifying public debate across Flanders over the documented dangers social media poses to young people, including exposure to harmful content, predatory interactions, psychologically manipulative algorithms, and the rapid spread of misinformation, according to government sources.
The decree extends the region's broader "Safe Online" action plan, adopted late last year, which deliberately stopped short of an outright ban for users up to age 16. Instead, the framework prioritizes strengthening child protections through verified age controls and curbing addictive platform features such as endless scrolling.
A key mechanism of the new policy is the creation of an official government-maintained registry of "harmful social media" platforms legally obligated to comply with the age threshold — giving authorities a structured basis for monitoring and enforcement.
Flemish Media Minister Cieltje Van Achter made clear that voluntary compliance from the industry is no longer considered sufficient.
"The trend is clear: more and more people are deeply concerned about the impact these platforms have on our society and, in particular, on our children," she said, adding that big tech companies must protect young users or face removal from the market.
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