About this Website

This website is conceived and managed by The Lisbon Council, a Brussels-based think tank, to collect and analyse the evidence on social media age restrictions around the world - from academic research to policy insights, for decision-makers who want facts over headlines.

Governments across the globe are introducing or considering legislation to ban or restrict children’s access to social media. Australia, France, Spain, the United States and many other jurisdictions have taken steps ranging from outright bans to age-verification requirements. The debate is intense and fast-moving, yet the evidence base is fragmented and often difficult to access.

Evidence Hub on Social Media Ban for Kids aims to bridge this gap. The website presents a systematic review of the available evidence, organised around six key topics:

• Public acceptance - What does public opinion say about social media bans for minors?
• Usage - How do children and young people actually use social media?
• Harms - What does the research say about the effects of social media on children’s wellbeing?
• Literacy - What role does digital and media literacy play as an alternative or complement to bans?
• Tech Mindset - What technological approaches exist for age verification and enforcement?

With the Evidence Library, you can browse all the datasets or focus on a specific topic. All charts and data are open source and downloadable. In the blog section, experts examine the conflicting approaches and emerging evidence in a series of data-driven commentaries and analysis.

You can also review and check the source material - everything is in the public record. And you can contribute yourself by pointing us in the direction of interesting, emerging studies. So long as the material meets our community standards, we will be delighted to add it. We hope this resource will be of use in this crucial, ongoing debate.