Austria says will ban social media for children under 14

VIENNA - Austria will ban social media for children up to the age of 14 following lengthy negotiations within the ruling coalition, the government said Friday.

"It is almost impossible for parents to control their children's consumption" on these platforms, which are designed to make them "deliberately dependent," Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler told a press conference.

The government plans to introduce a new compulsory school subject called "Media and Democracy" to help students distinguish truth from falsehood and recognise attempts at anti-democratic influence, according to the proposal.

Several European Union countries, including France, Spain and Denmark have announced their intention to establish a digital age of majority for social networks.