Newsletters
The European Union could implement restrictions on children’s social media use as early as this summer, following recommendations from an expert panel next week to limit online platform access for minors, prompting member states like Denmark and Greece to demand a similar move.
The EU states that all regulatory options remain on the table, ranging from a blanket ban on minors using social media platforms to targeted restrictions on specific services and features.
However, there appears to be little appetite for a broad-brush approach. European Union officials insist that no definitive decisions will be made before the specialized panel—tasked by EU chief Ursula von der Leyen—delivers its official recommendations on July 13.
Von der Leyen has previously indicated her support for these restrictions, with a formal announcement expected in September, though that timeline could still change.
"It is not the question when children or teenagers would have access to social media; I would say it's more the question when social media has access to our children and teenagers," von der Leyen stated last week.
The Commission is facing mounting pressure as several European capitals, including Paris, have already drafted independent national legislation. On Monday, Brussels directed France to amend its draft law, ruling that the independent proposal encroached upon the central powers of the European Commission.
The EU maintains that its broader goal is to protect children across the entire digital ecosystem, not just on social media networks. "Whatever decisions are made on age limits, we must also tackle the business models and design choices shaping children's online experiences every day," European Union Consumer Protection Commissioner Michael McGrath told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The panel is not expected to recommend a blanket social media ban. To gauge what lies ahead, observers are pointing to a German panel that presented two alternatives last month: enforcing a statutory minimum age of 13—a threshold already used by many platforms—or placing strict limits on specific individual services and features.
The European Commission, serving as the EU's digital watchdog, has been closely monitoring the challenges surrounding Australia's recently implemented ban and may choose a different path. Rather than banning entire platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok, Brussels could opt for a risk-based strategy that specifically prohibits individual features deemed harmful to minors.
While social media bans are gaining global traction, with Britain and Indonesia taking similar measures, and EU member states like Greece and Spain drafting their own restrictions, the move faces sharp internal resistance from Estonia, which fiercely opposes such bans.
Public sentiment, however, leans toward intervention. A YouGov poll published on Thursday revealed that a majority of Europeans surveyed across France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain want platforms to eliminate "harmful" design elements, such as endless scrolling and personalized content feeds.
Conversely, digital rights experts argue that outright bans are the wrong approach. They contend that the EU should focus on making platforms safer by utilizing its existing legal toolkit.
"We don't think that exclusion is the answer. We need to enforce our existing laws," said Simeon de Brouwer of the digital rights group European Digital Rights (EDRi), expressing hope that the new consumer protection rules will remain ambitious.
McGrath echoed the need for systemic change, stating that the new legislation expected later this year will officially "recognize children as vulnerable consumers" and mandate that minors "must be protected by design."
Such steps are widely backed by Europeans. The YouGov poll found that 75% of the more than 5,100 adults surveyed believe platforms should remain inaccessible to minors until the companies can officially prove their services are safe.
"We must focus on measures that ensure the responsibility lies with the platforms to prove their products are safe before they can be used by children, or anyone," said Michiel van Hulten, EU director at Reset Tech.
The EU already possesses a significant legal weapon in the form of an online content law. This regulation forces the world's biggest platforms to swiftly remove harmful or dangerous content, while also banning targeted advertisements aimed at children.
However, Brouwer argued that the EU has been "timid" about enforcing this law. He noted that while the EU instructed Chinese-owned TikTok to change its "addictive design," it has merely told U.S.-based Meta to enforce age verification.
An EU official defended their track record, stating that the Commission is set to issue findings against Meta's Facebook and Instagram before the summer ends. The probe is specifically investigating how those services may cause addictive behavior in children.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
