Country
From apps and books to foods and everyday habits: here is what governments around the world have banned, restricted or quietly un-banned, and why. Pick a country, a category, or both.
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CanadaBannedBaby walkersCanada was the first country to ban baby walkers because of head injuries from falls.ProductsSince 2004Details →ChinaBannedChristopher Robin (2018)Denied a release in China; media widely linked it to Winnie the Pooh memes mocking Xi Jinping.Movies & TVSince 2018Details →ChinaBannedGoogle SearchGoogle moved its Chinese search service to Hong Kong in 2010 after refusing to censor results; its services are blocked by the Great Firewall.Apps & WebsitesSince 2010Details →USABannedKinder Surprise eggsFDA rules forbid non-edible objects embedded inside sweets.Food & DrinkDetails →GermanyBannedNazi symbolsDisplaying the swastika and other Nazi symbols is a crime under §86a of the Criminal Code, except for art, education or research.Clothing & SymbolsDetails →North KoreaBannedOpen internet accessOrdinary citizens can only use the state intranet Kwangmyong; the global internet is reserved for a small elite.Apps & WebsitesDetails →IranBannedThe Satanic Verses (Salman Rushdie)Banned as blasphemous; in 1989 Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for the author's death.BooksSince 1988Details →IndiaBannedTikTokBanned with 58 other Chinese apps in June 2020 after the Galwan Valley border clash.Apps & WebsitesSince 2020Details →JapanBannedVicks inhalers and some cold medicinesProducts with pseudoephedrine or similar stimulants cannot be brought into Japan.ProductsDetails →SingaporeRestrictedChewing gumSale and import banned in 1992 to stop litter; therapeutic gum has been sold in pharmacies since 2004.Food & DrinkSince 1992Details →
All Bans
USARestrictedGender Queer (Maia Kobabe)The most challenged book in the US in 2021–2023 according to the American Library Association; removed from many school libraries.BooksSince 2021Details →AustraliaRestrictedSocial media accounts for under-16sFrom December 2025, platforms must stop under-16s from holding accounts.Apps & WebsitesSince 2025Details →Saudi ArabiaBan liftedWomen drivingSaudi Arabia was the only country where women could not drive; the ban ended in June 2018.Activities & LawsDetails →Saudi ArabiaBannedAlcoholMaking, selling and drinking alcohol is prohibited; a single licensed store for non-Muslim diplomats opened in 2024.Food & DrinkDetails →UKBannedDisposable vapesSale and supply banned from June 2025 to cut youth vaping and waste.ProductsSince 2025Details →SingaporeBannedE-cigarettes and vapesBuying, owning and using vapes is illegal.ProductsSince 2018Details →ThailandBannedE-cigarettes and vapesImporting, selling and owning vapes is illegal; tourists have been fined and detained.ProductsSince 2014Details →ChinaBannedFacebookBlocked after the July 2009 Ürümqi unrest, when authorities said the platform was used to organise protests.Apps & WebsitesSince 2009Details →IranBannedFacebookBlocked after the protests that followed the 2009 presidential election.Apps & WebsitesSince 2009Details →RussiaBannedFacebookBlocked in March 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine; Meta was later labelled "extremist".Apps & WebsitesSince 2022Details →SingaporeBannedFeeding pigeonsFeeding wild birds attracts pests and is an offence that carries a fine.Activities & LawsDetails →FranceBannedFull-face coverings in publicA law in force since April 2011 bans hiding the face in public spaces, including the niqab and burqa.Clothing & SymbolsSince 2011Details →GermanyBannedHolocaust denialDenying or trivialising the Holocaust is punishable under §130 of the Criminal Code.Activities & LawsDetails →AustraliaBannedHuawei and ZTE 5G equipmentExcluded from 5G networks over national-security concerns.ProductsSince 2018Details →ChinaBannedInstagramBlocked during the 2014 Hong Kong protests and never restored.Apps & WebsitesSince 2014Details →IranBannedInstagramBlocked in September 2022 during the protests after the death of Mahsa Amini.Apps & WebsitesSince 2022Details →RussiaBannedInstagramBlocked in March 2022 after Meta temporarily allowed some calls for violence against Russian soldiers.Apps & WebsitesSince 2022Details →UKBannedIvory salesThe Ivory Act 2022 bans dealing in elephant ivory, with narrow exemptions.ProductsSince 2022Details →USABannedLawn dartsBanned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission after injuries and deaths among children.ProductsSince 1988Details →RussiaBannedLinkedInBlocked for not storing Russian users' data on servers inside Russia.Apps & WebsitesSince 2016Details →Saudi ArabiaBannedPorkImporting pork and pork products is forbidden.Food & DrinkDetails →IndiaBannedPUBG MobileBanned in September 2020 on national-security grounds; an Indian version (BGMI) launched later.GamesSince 2020Details →North KoreaBannedSouth Korean films and TV dramasThe 2020 Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Act punishes watching or sharing South Korean media.Movies & TVSince 2020Details →IranBannedTelegramBlocked by court order in 2018 after it was used during anti-government protests.Apps & WebsitesSince 2018Details →USABannedTraditional haggisSheep lung, a classic ingredient, has been banned from US food since 1971.Food & DrinkSince 1971Details →North KoreaBannedUnauthorised international phone callsCalling abroad without permission is treated as a serious crime.Activities & LawsDetails →ChinaBannedWhatsAppFully blocked in 2017; its end-to-end encryption cannot be monitored by the state.Apps & WebsitesSince 2017Details →ChinaBannedWikipediaAll language editions have been blocked since April 2019.Apps & WebsitesSince 2019Details →ChinaBannedX (Twitter)Blocked since 2009 together with most foreign social networks.Apps & WebsitesSince 2009Details →IranBannedX (Twitter)Blocked since the 2009 protests, although many officials post on it.Apps & WebsitesSince 2009Details →ChinaBannedYouTubeBlocked by the Great Firewall since 2009.Apps & WebsitesSince 2009Details →IranBannedYouTubeBlocked in 2012 over content the authorities called offensive to Islam.Apps & WebsitesSince 2012Details →IndiaRestrictedBeefCattle slaughter is banned or limited in most states; the rules differ by state.Food & DrinkDetails →SingaporeRestrictedDurian on public transportIts strong smell led transport operators to bar the fruit from trains and buses.Food & DrinkDetails →Hong KongRestrictedGlory to Hong Kong (protest song)A 2024 court injunction bans broadcasting or sharing the song with seditious intent.MusicSince 2024Details →GreeceRestrictedHigh heels at ancient sitesStiletto heels are banned at archaeological sites such as the Acropolis to protect the monuments.Clothing & SymbolsSince 2009Details →USARestrictedMaus (Art Spiegelman)Removed from the curriculum by a Tennessee school board in January 2022, which led to a sales surge.BooksSince 2022Details →FranceRestrictedMobile phones in schools (under 15)Pupils in primary and middle schools may not use phones during the school day.ProductsSince 2018Details →USARestrictedNew Huawei and ZTE equipmentThe FCC stopped approving new telecom equipment from these companies on national-security grounds.ProductsSince 2022Details →USARestrictedThe Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison)One of the most often challenged books in US schools; removed in a number of districts.BooksDetails →UKRestrictedXL Bully dogs without exemptionXL Bully dogs were added to the Dangerous Dogs Act; owners need an exemption certificate.Activities & LawsSince 2024Details →ItalyBan liftedChatGPTTemporarily blocked by the data protection authority in March 2023; restored about a month later.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2023Details →Saudi ArabiaBan liftedPublic cinemasCinemas were shut in the early 1980s and allowed to reopen in 2018.Movies & TVBanned 1980sDetails →UKBan liftedSpycatcher (Peter Wright)The government tried to block the MI5 memoir; the courts lifted the restrictions in 1988.BooksBanned 1987Details →RussiaBan liftedTelegramBlocked in 2018 for refusing to hand over encryption keys; the ban was lifted in 2020.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2018Details →IndiaBan liftedThe Satanic Verses (Salman Rushdie)Import was banned in 1988; in 2024 the Delhi High Court said the ban notification could not be found and closed the case.BooksBanned 1988Details →NigeriaBan liftedTwitterSuspended in June 2021 after it deleted a presidential tweet; the ban was lifted in January 2022.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2021Details →IranBan liftedWhatsAppBlocked in 2022; the government lifted the ban in December 2024.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2022Details →TurkeyBan liftedWikipediaBlocked in 2017; the Constitutional Court ruled the ban unconstitutional and access returned in December 2019.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2017Details →BrazilBan liftedX (Twitter)Suspended by the Supreme Court in August 2024 in a dispute over court orders; restored in October 2024.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2024Details →PakistanBan liftedYouTubeBlocked in 2012 over an anti-Islam video; access returned in 2016 with a local version.Apps & WebsitesBanned 2012Details →
Frequently Asked Questions
Which country bans the most things?
In our list, China (8), followed by Iran (7) and USA (7).
Have any of these bans been lifted?
Yes, including Women driving, ChatGPT (2023), Public cinemas (1980s), Spycatcher (Peter Wright) (1987) and Telegram (2018). Lifted bans stay on the list, marked "Ban lifted", so you can see how the rules changed.
Is this list up to date?
We review entries regularly and add new bans as they happen. Laws change, so check an official government source before you travel or act on this information.
Laws change often and many bans have exceptions. This list is for general information, not legal or travel advice. Check official government sources before you travel. Last updated: 12/10/2026.