The European Union is set to introduce measures to restrict children's access to social media platforms. This proposal, led by Greece with support from France and Spain, aims to implement overarching European rules governing the use of services like TikTok and Instagram by minors without parental approval. This was reported by Politico.
The initiative suggests establishing a uniform "digital maturity age" across the EU, preventing children from using social networks without consent. EU digital policy ministers are expected to discuss this initiative in early June. Denmark, which will soon hold the EU Council presidency, has already declared that protecting children online is a top priority. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen previously supported restricting social media access for children under 15.
The idea emerged amid concerns about the excessive use of social media by children and the negative effects of online content. French President Emmanuel Macron has been advocating for this initiative for several months, believing that children under 15 should be shielded from certain online behaviors. Last year, France passed a law restricting access to social media for those under 15, but its implementation is still pending.
This initiative proposes mandatory age verification at the device level and new European standards that would limit the use of engaging features in apps, such as auto-playing videos, content personalization, and pop-up ads. This could face resistance from companies like Apple and Google, which prefer device-level control to be avoided. In contrast, Meta supports age verification through apps or stores.
Proponents stress that protecting children from digital risks requires collective action throughout the EU. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized that an outright ban is ineffective, suggesting a focus on age verification and adapting services to meet children's needs. France, Spain, and Greece will also test a special age verification app developed by the European Commission.
Notably, the issue of restricting children's access to social media is gaining more traction globally, especially after Australia announced its intention to implement a minimum age of 16 for creating accounts on several social media platforms starting in late 2024.
