Key facts
- The EU is proposing age restrictions for social media access for minors.
- A report recommends children under 13 should have time-limited access with parental supervision.
- The initiative aims to address mental and physical health risks of social media for youth.
- The EU may consider age limits for other online services and identify harmful platforms.
- The Commission plans phased access for different age groups.
The European Union is moving towards implementing age restrictions for minors accessing social media platforms. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the bloc will consider imposing minimum age limits, stating that "it is very clear that we need age-appropriate restrictions to platforms." This initiative stems from a report by an expert panel convened by von der Leyen to address the harms social media poses to young people's mental and physical health.
The report specifically recommends that children under 13 years of age should only be granted "time-limited" access to social media, and this access should be under parental supervision. Von der Leyen emphasized that the goal is not to prevent children from accessing social media entirely, but rather to control when and how social media platforms can reach children. She drew a parallel to the introduction of seat belts for road safety, acknowledging that change takes time but is ultimately beneficial.
This move aligns with a broader trend of governments worldwide seeking to regulate online spaces for minors. Several European capitals, including Athens, Copenhagen, and Paris, have been advocating for similar age restrictions. Non-EU countries like Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia are also exploring such measures. Social media platforms currently already restrict access for users under 13 due to data privacy regulations, which require users to be of an age where they can consent to data processing. Von der Leyen suggested that parents and caregivers should play a key role in supervising children's online activities.
The Commission is also considering extending age restrictions to other online services and will begin identifying platforms deemed harmful to minors. The proposed approach involves "phased and gradual access for different age ranges," with von der Leyen stressing the urgency of protecting childhood. The expert panel's recommendations also include limiting screen time for children under three and gradually introducing them to technology and social media between three and 13 under supervision.