EU Plans Strict Age-Based Social Media Restrictions to Protect Children

The European Union is moving toward imposing unprecedented restrictions on children's use of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced on Monday that after the summer, the Commission will present a legislative proposal to regulate graduated access for teenagers to social media. The goal is to protect children from harmful content and addictive mechanisms, according to Reuters.

This initiative is based on recommendations from an expert committee appointed by the Commission. The committee advises that children under 13 should not have free access to social media but only limited use under supervision by parents, teachers, or responsible adults. It also suggests phased restrictions for older teenagers depending on platform safety levels.

The proposal targets addictive features like infinite scrolling and autoplay videos. Concurrently, the Commission is developing a unified age verification system to enforce these restrictions while safeguarding user privacy. Von der Leyen compared the initiative to existing age-based regulations such as those for driving or alcohol consumption.

At this stage, these are recommendations and intentions; the official legislative proposal is expected later this year. It will then require approval by the European Parliament and EU member states before coming into effect.