EU TO PROPOSE PHASED RESTRICTIONS ON CHILDREN’S ACCESS TO SOCIAL MEDIA

The European Commission (EU) is preparing proposals to introduce age-based restrictions on children’s access to social media and other digital services, as the European Union seeks to strengthen protections for minors online.

EU President Ursula von der Leyen said the commission would prepare recommendations and legislative proposals following the work of a special panel on child safety online, with a formal proposal expected after the summer.

The proposed approach would introduce a phased system based on age groups. Children under the age of 13 would have limited access to social media platforms under the supervision of parents, caregivers or teachers, with restrictions gradually eased as they get older.

The recommendations would also cover a broader category of digital services referred to as “Social Media Plus”, extending beyond traditional social media platforms to include services that may pose risks to children.

Speaking after receiving the panel’s report, von der Leyen said the commission would prepare both recommendations and legislative proposals, with a formal proposal expected in September.

She said in her speech: ” The data reveal the facts. Across Europe, young people now spend four to six hours per day on screens. Six hours every day – this adds up to twenty years of their life. At the same time, across Europe, almost 60 per cent of young children have experienced emotional or psychosocial problems online. And day and night, parents too well see the consequences of this: loss of sleep, depression, anxiety, cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content. All this is happening while our children’s brains are still developing. We cannot expect children to succeed in a system that was never designed with their wellbeing in mind, when they are most vulnerable.”

“We in Europe believe that parents bring up our kids, not predatory algorithms,” she added. “It is clear we need age-appropriate restrictions to platforms. This is not about whether children can access social media. It is about whether and when social media can access our children.”

The recommendations also extend beyond traditional social media to a broader category of online services described as “Social Media Plus”, covering platforms with age-inappropriate or addictive features.

Safety by design approach is key for social media, says EU President

Von der Leyen said the EU should adopt a “safe by design” approach, placing responsibility on technology companies rather than children or parents.

“We do not expect children to design their own seatbelts. We do not expect parents to fit airbags at home. And the very same must be true for big tech,” she said.

The commission said it would use the expert panel’s recommendations as it develops proposals to protect children better online, building on existing measures including the Digital Services Act and broader work on child safety online.

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2026-07-14T04:42:09Z