European Commission plans to limit children’s access to social media | Infinium-tech
The European Commission will propose new rules limiting children’s access to social media across the EU later this year, according to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The move follows recommendations from an expert panel tasked with finding ways to better protect minors from harm online.
Under the recommendations, children under the age of 13 will only be allowed limited, supervised access to social media. However, as they age, the restrictions will gradually ease.
The panel called for platforms to prove they are safe for young users before granting access, placing more responsibility on tech companies rather than parents.
The European Union is not the first country to move in this direction. Australia last year became the first country to impose a nationwide ban on social media for children under 16, while France, Greece and several other European countries have either approved or are considering similar age-based restrictions. Outside Europe, governments in the UK, Canada and elsewhere are also considering stricter rules aimed at protecting children online.
Von der Leyen said the Commission would unveil its proposal after the summer, with legislation expected to be presented during her State of the Union address in September.
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