The ruling Civic Coalition and the Ministry of National Education have presented the assumptions of a draft law radically restricting children's access to social media. The proposed regulations introduce an age threshold of 15, below which minors will not be allowed to have accounts on popular platforms. The reform, announced for 2027, is a response to the growing mental health problems among youth and reports on the harmfulness of algorithms used by tech giants.
Minimum user age
The project proposes introducing an age threshold of 15 as the limit for legal use of social media.
Phones outside of lessons
The Ministry of National Education plans to formalize a ban on using mobile devices during instructional classes in schools.
Age verification
Strict requirements for confirming the age of new and existing users will be imposed on technology companies.
Implementation timeline
The revolutionary regulations are set to take full effect from the beginning of 2027.
The Polish government is joining the global trend of limiting technology's influence on the development of the youngest, presenting an ambitious plan for digital restrictions. The assumptions presented by the Civic Coalition and the education ministry foresee a total ban on the use of social media services for children under the age of 15. This initiative is motivated by the dramatic deterioration of the mental condition of Polish youth, confirmed by numerous medical and social reports. According to the project's authors, traditional parental control methods have proven insufficient in the face of the advanced algorithms of platforms, which are designed to maximize screen time. Parallel to the restrictions concerning online platforms, the Ministry of National Education plans to introduce a statutory ban on the use of mobile phones during lessons in all schools. The reform aims to rebuild peer relationships and improve student concentration, which has eroded in the era of widespread access to notifications and short-form videos. Ministry representatives emphasize that no artificial intelligence or chatbot can replace direct contact with a parent or friend, and the current model of digital content consumption leads to increasing social isolation. The project also assumes imposing strict age verification obligations on service providers, putting the Polish government on a collision course with global technology corporations. In recent years, countries such as Australia and France have also taken steps to legislatively restrict minors' access to social media, stemming from a growing number of scientific studies proving a correlation between excessive social media use and depression among teenagers. The implementation of the new regulations, planned for the beginning of 2027, will require the creation of advanced online identity verification systems that would not violate the privacy of adult users. The debate over the project evokes strong emotions, dividing public opinion between supporters of radical child protection and opponents of technical censorship. A key challenge remains the enforceability of the law against companies headquartered outside the European Union. The education ministry announces broad public consultations to develop mechanisms that genuinely relieve the psychological burden on the younger generation without blocking access to online educational resources. „Social media in their current form are destroying the mental well-being of an entire generation. We can no longer wait for tech giants to regulate themselves.” — Minister of National Education
Perspektywy mediów: Emphasizes the mental well-being of youth and the necessity to protect children from harmful corporate algorithms. Points out bureaucratic restrictions on freedom, difficulties in enforcement, and potential conflict with business interests.
Mentioned People
- Barbara Nowacka — Minister of National Education, pushing for changes in children's access to technology.