Portugal approves bill requiring parental consent for teens on social media

The Portuguese Parliament has approved a bill in its first reading that requires explicit parental consent for adolescents aged 13 to 16 to access social media platforms. Proposed by the governing Social Democratic Party, the legislation aims to protect minors from cyberbullying, harmful content, and online predators. Parents will use a system known as the Digital Mobile Key to provide consent, which will also assist in enforcing the existing ban on social media and gambling sites for children under 13. While the bill has passed its initial stage, it remains subject to potential amendments before a final vote is held. This move positions Portugal as one of the first European nations to implement such restrictions. Similar measures were recently taken in France, where the lower house supported a ban for those under 15, and in Australia, which enacted a ban for minors under 16 in December. The Australian ban specifically affects platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. These legislative steps reflect a growing global trend toward stricter regulation of digital environments for children.