European regulators consider age verification mandates for social platforms after Australia implemented controversial restrictions. EU officials worry about rising mental health issues linked to social media use among children, with some pushing for similar minimum age requirements.

Australia's legislation forces users to verify age before accessing platforms, sparking debate between digital rights and child protection. The EU's Digital Services Act already imposes strict content rules, but age verification remains a contentious issue for regulators and tech companies.

Fact: Meta's Instagram has over 1 billion monthly users globally.

Tech companies warn effective age verification creates significant privacy challenges, while civil liberties groups caution against restrictions that might limit young users' access to beneficial online content.