Belgium’s Under-15 Social Media Ban Stalls as Political Divisions Deepen

A proposal to ban social media for children under 15 in Belgium has missed its critical July 21 deadline, stalled by internal coalition disputes and growing frustration from civil society organizations who say their concerns are being ignored. The delay comes as France passed a similar law on the same day, intensifying pressure on Belgium to move forward.

Federal Minister for Digital Affairs Vanessa Matz (Les Engagés), the lead proponent of the legislation, had pledged to submit the proposal to the Council of Ministers before July 21. But as of July 22, discussions between cabinet offices had not yet produced a final text for government consideration, according to La Libre Belgique.

A Political Logjam at the Federal Level

The proposed measure would require social media platforms to verify users’ ages through trusted third-party systems such as itsme or MyGov.be, which would confirm a user meets the minimum age threshold without transmitting personal data to the platforms. The system was expected to be finalized by summer 2026.

However, the plan has encountered fierce opposition from within the governing “Arizona” coalition itself. The N-VA (Flemish nationalist party), through MP Cieltje Van Achter, has strongly opposed the federal approach. Van Achter compared the proposed age verification system to “Big Brother,” calling it “the most dangerous system that could be implemented”.

Instead, Flanders is pursuing its own approach, planning to require platforms themselves to ensure users are at least 13 — the current but widely circumvented legal minimum. Matz has denounced this position, arguing that leaving age verification to the platforms would be far more privacy-invasive than using independent digital identity systems.

Civil Society Voices Go Unheard

Beyond the political infighting, a broader criticism has emerged: civil society organizations feel their voices are being excluded from the legislative process. The central claim of the July 22 article in La Libre Belgique is that “politicians are not listening to civil society.”

These organizations have raised legitimate concerns about the effectiveness of outright bans. Australia, which became the first country to ban social media for under-16s in December 2025 under its Social Media Minimum Age Act, has seen limited results. Six months after implementation, a study found that the ban has not significantly reduced platform usage by minors, with many teenagers finding ways to circumvent the restrictions.

Other concerns raised by civil society include the privacy implications of mandatory age verification, the potential for driving young users toward unregulated platforms, and whether digital literacy education might be more effective than blanket prohibitions.

The French Precedent Adds Pressure

France definitively voted to ban social media for under-15s on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, with President Emmanuel Macron pushing for accelerated implementation by the next school year. The French law also extends smartphone bans in schools up to high school level and makes France the first European country to enact such legislation.

Minister Matz has long advocated for a strong European approach, telling RTBF in June 2025: “What history should not remember is that Europe was not up to the challenges.” She has emphasized that “where there is a will, there is a way” when it comes to implementing effective age verification.

The EU Dimension

A key complication is that most major social media platforms are based in Ireland and largely escape Belgian national law. The European Commission has promised to take a position on the age verification versus age estimation debate by the end of July 2026 under the Danish presidency. However, no common EU legislation is expected before 2027, leaving member states to navigate a fragmented regulatory landscape in the meantime.

What Happens Next

The missed July 21 deadline raises serious questions about the viability of the Belgian proposal. The federal government must now resolve internal coalition disagreements — particularly with the N-VA — before the measure can advance to the Council of Ministers. The European Commission’s forthcoming position could provide much-needed clarity on the technical and legal framework, but without political consensus within Belgium’s complex federal structure, the proposal risks remaining stalled indefinitely.

For now, Belgian parents and civil society organizations alike are left waiting — while France moves ahead, Australia grapples with enforcement challenges, and the European Union deliberates on a path forward that could shape digital policy for a generation.