JAKARTA – The government of the Czech Republic (Czechia) is considering a strict policy that has the potential to restrict access to social media for children under the age of 15. The Prime Minister of Rep. Ceko, Andrej Babiš, publicly expressed his support for the plan, citing mental health protection and child welfare.

In a video uploaded on his personal social media account, Babiš said that the experts he consulted assessed that social media could have a negative impact on children. According to him, the state has an obligation to protect the younger generation from such risks. “The safety and development of children must be the government’s top priority,” he said, quoted from Babis’ social media.

This ban comes amid growing global concerns about the impact of technology and social media use on the mental health of children and adolescents. The Czech Republic follows the steps of a number of other countries that have taken similar policies first.

France, for example, last month passed a law restricting social media access for children under 15. Australia has even implemented a ban on the use of social media for children under the age of 16.

Czech Deputy Prime Minister Karel Havlíček also reinforced the government’s political signal. In an interview with CNN Prima News, he said that the government is currently discussing with experts and digital service providers to formulate appropriate regulations.

He said the government hopes to submit a draft law related to the restriction of social media this year. In his controversial statement, Havlíček even called social media something dangerous for children.

In addition to social media restrictions, the Czech government is also studying the possibility of imposing a nationwide ban on the use of mobile phones in schools. This policy is said to be inspired by Slovakia, which has previously implemented similar restrictions in the educational environment.

However, not everyone agrees with the plan. A number of politicians expressed caution. Member of the European Parliament from the ODS Party, Alexandr Vondra, highlighted the major challenge in balancing child protection with privacy rights. Meanwhile, the leader of the Pirate Party, Ivan Bartoš, warned that a ban on social media could potentially erode anonymity and freedom of expression in the digital world.

Several other lawmakers argued that an educational approach might be more effective than a total ban. They assessed that increasing digital literacy and parental supervision could be a more sustainable solution.

The international organization UNICEF also reminds that a ban alone does not necessarily provide maximum protection for children. In its statement in December 2025, UNICEF said that for some children, especially those who are isolated or marginalized, social media is actually a means of learning, socializing, and expressing themselves.

This plan is also considered unique because the Czech government itself, especially Andrej Babiš and the ANO Party, is known to be very active in using social media as a means of political communication with the public. This condition raises questions about policy consistency and challenges in enforcing rules.

The implementation of the ban for children under 15 years old is estimated to not be easy. The government must face various obstacles, ranging from age verification mechanisms, consistent supervision, to ensuring fair access to information for the public.

Until now, the government has not set an official schedule for the implementation of the policy. However, officials said that the regulatory proposal could be submitted in 2026 after further consultations with experts and digital industry players. This debate reflects the increasing attention of the Czech public to the issue of children’s mental health and digital security in the era of social media.

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