Austria Pushes for Social Media Ban for Under-14s, Seeks Platform Cooperation

The proposed ban, slated to take effect in 2027, would require platforms to implement age restrictions. Pröll stressed the need for "ein Commitment mit den Plattformen," indicating the government prefers collaborative implementation rather than unilateral enforcement.

"Cooperation Over Confrontation" Strategy

Wednesday's talks followed the government's March announcement of plans to introduce platform regulations and push for EU-wide age restrictions. The meeting with Meta, Snapchat, and TikTok representatives operated under the motto "Kooperation statt Konfrontation," focusing on constructive dialogue.

Pröll reiterated that the status quo is unsustainable: "So wie es ist, kann es nicht bleiben." The government aims to have platforms actively support the social media ban's implementation. "Die Umsetzung des 'Social-Media-Verbots' solle schließlich von den Plattformen mitgetragen werden," officials emphasized.

The discussions build on Austria's broader digital policy agenda, which includes leveraging existing infrastructure like ID Austria for potential age verification. While technical specifics remain undecided, the government appears committed to pursuing both legislative and technological pathways to enforce the under-14 restriction.