The Slovenian government has endorsed a framework for drafting legislation that would restrict access to social media for children and adolescents under 16, Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arcon said, STA news agency reported on February 5.

The initiative was prepared by the Ministry of Education, while industry experts and the Ministry of Digital Transformation are expected to contribute to shaping the final proposals before any legal measures are adopted. The objective is to establish a clear legal basis to curb the negative effects of social media use among young people.

“This has become a major topic both globally and across Europe in recent months, and with this step the government is signalling that it takes the wellbeing of children seriously,” Arcon was cited by .

According to him, the planned regulation would focus on social networks that allow user-generated content. Platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat were cited as examples.

Arcon added that the initial framework would be further refined by professionals, after which concrete legal provisions would be drafted, with the protection of children and adolescents as the core priority.

Pressure for tighter controls has been mounting across Europe following Australia’s decision in December to ban social media access for under-16s. France, Denmark and Greece have taken the lead on similar initiatives, while Spain and Portugal announced age restrictions this week.

At EU level, the European Parliament last November backed a non-binding call for a minimum age of 16 for independent use of social networks and video-sharing platforms, a position also supported by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.