Digital legal age in Romania

For the first time in Romania a law has been passed, which introduces the concept of digital maturity at the age of 16 and protects children online.

Daniela Budu, 07.10.2025, 14:00

Romania is among the first European countries to take a decisive step in regulating the protection of children on the internet. The Senate Monday endorsed with 123 votes in favour and 6 abstentions, the Digital Age Act, which introduces, for the first time in Romania, the concept of “digital maturity” at the age of 16, establishing a clear framework for minors’ access to online platforms.

Specifically, children will be able to create accounts on online platforms only with the consent of their parents, and providers will be required to apply age filters and bans on customised ads addressing minors. In addition, parents will have the right to suspend or restrict children’s accounts and request the removal of harmful content.

Once endorsed by the Chamber of Deputies as well, which is the decision-making body, the law will apply to all online service providers, from social and entertainment platforms to gaming applications or video content.

The bill, tabled by the Liberal Senator Nicoleta Pauliuc, the chair of the Committee for defence, public order and national security, is designed to protect minors in the digital environment and hold online platforms accountable. “Romanian children have the right to be protected in the digital world as well, not just in the real world. The Digital Age Act does not prohibit, does not censor, but rather gives parents the legal tools to protect their children,” Nicoleta Pauliuc explained. Furthermore, the bill introduces clear obligations for digital service providers: implementing age filters, labelling content by category, protecting minors’ data and prohibiting customised advertising addressing children.

“Romania takes a decisive step today towards a responsible digital society. We cannot allow algorithms to raise our generation of children. With this law, parents are once again given the right to be parents, and children the chance to be children, safely,” Nicoleta Pauliuc emphasised.

The endorsement of the Digital Age Act is, in her opinion, a victory for the digital safety, education and emotional health of children in Romania, and places the country among the European states that explicitly regulate online maturity.

This is also because at national level, the negative effects of minors’ access to harmful online content have so far generated many undesirable events among this age group, including, recently, children who commit suicide following online challenges on social media platforms, and children who buy drugs or psychoactive products online.

Romania is not the only European country taking measures to protect children in the online environment. France, Greece and Spain this year suggested an age of digital maturity throughout the EU. And Denmark, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council, has made the issue a priority and has vowed to push the bloc to do more. The European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has recently voiced support for growing calls to ban children from using social media, and promised to consider EU-wide action in the coming months. (AMP)