Ljubljana: Slovenia is preparing a new law that would stop children under the age of 15 from using social media platforms as the government steps up efforts to protect young people online.
The proposed legislation is being drafted by the education ministry with the support of digital safety experts. Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arcon said the aim is to reduce the harmful effects of excessive social media use on children including anxiety addiction and exposure to inappropriate content.
If approved the law would apply to major platforms such as TikTok Instagram Snapchat YouTube and similar services. The government says these platforms play a growing role in the daily lives of children and that stronger rules are needed to safeguard their mental health and wellbeing.
The plan is still at an early stage and will be discussed with experts parents schools and technology companies before being sent to parliament. Officials have acknowledged that enforcing age limits and verifying users ages will be one of the biggest challenges.
Slovenia’s move comes as several European countries consider tighter controls on children’s access to social media. Spain is pushing for a ban for users under 16 while Greece and France are also debating stricter rules for online platforms. European leaders say current safeguards are not enough to protect minors.
Technology firms and free speech advocates have raised concerns that age bans could be difficult to enforce and may restrict access to information. However Slovenia’s government insists the focus is on child safety rather than censorship.
If passed the law would place Slovenia among a growing number of countries taking a tougher stance on how social media companies engage with young users.