The Austrian government has approved online child protection reforms that would ban children under 14 from using social media and introduce mandatory age verification for access to adult websites, Report informs, citing Der Spiegel.
The measures were announced by representatives of Austria's ruling coalition, which includes the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) and NEOS.
The draft law has already been submitted for consideration and is expected to enter into force next year.
A transition period until April 1, 2027, is planned for social media platforms. They will have to either remove features that encourage addictive use or restrict access for children. Violations could lead to fines of up to 6% of a company's total annual turnover.
Access to adult websites will also be allowed only after users confirm that they are over 18. Verification may be carried out through the ID Austria system or a private provider. The websites themselves will receive only confirmation that the user has reached the age of majority.