Swiss Federal Council adds protections for minors to social media law
The Federal Council will require very large platforms to assess and reduce risks to minors and ban profiled advertising aimed at them, with a draft message due to Parliament by end of June 2027.
Consultation result and reform
On Wednesday, 14 October 2026, the Federal Council took note of the results of the consultation on its planned Federal Act on Communication Platforms and Search Engines (KomPG). The consultation ran from October 2025 to February 2026 and drew 214 statements, according to a report published with the decision. A majority backed the plan, and the government said it had received broad support from the cantons and most parties and umbrella organisations. Even so, the Federal Council decided to strengthen the preliminary draft with minor-protection provisions and a wider reporting procedure for suspected illegal content. The model stays light-touch, with the strictest duties limited to the largest providers.
Who would be covered
The planned rules would apply only to very large communication platforms and search engines, including AI search engines, the government says. A provider falls under the law if at least 10% of the Swiss population uses it at least once a month, which corresponds to roughly 900,000 users. Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok are cited as examples. Smaller internet companies would be exempt, and the Federal Council rejected extending the rules to smaller services. Compared with the EU's law, which also covers smaller services and sets specific protection duties for minors, the Swiss draft goes less far. The government describes the core aim this way:
Very large communication platforms and search engines will have to analyse the extent to which their services create risks for minors or increase them.
New duties for minors
Platforms would have to analyse whether their services create or increase risks for minors and then take measures to reduce those risks. Providers would also be barred from showing minors personalised advertising built on profiling of their online behaviour and personal characteristics. For all suspected illegal content, users would get a reporting procedure instead of the fixed catalogue in the earlier draft. Users would also be told the reasons when content is removed or an account is blocked, and platforms would need a free complaints procedure. The government intends to impose fines for violations. The Federal Council is still examining whether further minor-protection measures belong in the law, referring to two parliamentary motions. A blanket social media ban has hardly been requested and was in some cases explicitly rejected during the consultation.
Political reaction
Reactions in parliament are divided. Of the parties represented there, only the EVP was fully satisfied with the proposal, while the SVP opposed stricter rules outright. The Mitte and the left parties argued that the draft does not go far enough. In the consultation, the Mitte, SP, Greens, GLP and EVP supported the plan, as did 22 cantons. The FDP, SVP and EDU, along with the cantons of Schwyz and Thurgau, rejected it, citing concerns about freedom of opinion and information. Almost only the large platform providers, such as Google Switzerland and Meta, opposed the push for better protection of children.
Next steps
Albert Rösti's department has until the end of June 2027 to draft the bill and present the message to Parliament. It is working with the Home Affairs Department of Elisabeth Baume-Schneider and its Federal Social Insurance Office (BSV). The draft will be based on the consultation results, and the timeline of milestones is shown below.
- Consultation on the draft law opens
- Consultation closes after 214 statements
- Federal Council takes note of results and adds minor protections
- Message to Parliament due by end of June 2027