The European Union will move to limit young children’s access to social media across the 27-member bloc, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday, in what would be the biggest such effort to date to guard against online dangers.
Von der Leyen presented a paper from two experts recommending a tiered approach, with under-13s only allowed to use social media for limited periods under the supervision of parents, caregivers and teachers. The curbs would be lifted gradually as teenagers got older.
“It is clear we need age-appropriate restrictions to platforms,” von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels.
“The question is no longer if children face risks online, but what can we do to give children a safer start online,” she said.
Von der Leyen indicated that she was likely to follow the experts’ suggestions and that the Commission would present a concrete proposal after the summer. She is expected to announce it at her state of the union address in September.
Australia, Britain, China, India and the United States have already imposed a social media ban or are considering one, which would mainly target TikTok, Alphabet’s YouTube and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook.
Those companies did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. Social media platforms have said they have measures to protect younger users and many have already imposed age restrictions.
“We first need to consider the type of platforms that are harmful to our children. The evidence shows that this is mainly social media platforms, but also other providers with age-inappropriate and addictive features. So think of it as social media plus,” von der Leyen said.
“And when we have this clearly defined category, I believe we need to consider phased and gradual access for different age ranges,” she added.
The UK is set to have a ban in place on certain social media for under-16s by spring, after an announcement by Sir Keir Starmer last month.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has acknowledged the ban will not be a “complete silver bullet”, saying it is about providing clarity for parents and children and resetting expectations and social norms when it comes to young people’s use of social media.
She has also insisted that the UK’s use of “highly effective age-verification measures” would make the ban stronger than the Australian system.
