EU to Propose New Age Restrictions for Social Media to Strengthen Child Online Safety
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced plans to introduce new legislation aimed at strengthening child protection online, including age-appropriate restrictions on access to social media platforms with potentially harmful or addictive features.
Speaking in Brussels on Monday alongside the co-chairs of the European Commission’s Special Panel on Child Safety Online, von der Leyen said digital platforms must take greater responsibility for safeguarding young users and reducing the risks associated with their services.
She emphasized that the focus should not simply be on whether children use social media, but on ensuring that platforms cannot freely target or expose minors to content and features that may negatively affect their well-being.
According to von der Leyen, the European Union is working on measures that would establish minimum age requirements for certain online services, supported by an upcoming EU age verification application designed to help enforce these restrictions.
She also highlighted research suggesting that children under the age of three should avoid screen exposure altogether, while older children should access social media only for limited periods and under the supervision of parents, teachers, or caregivers.
The Commission president said policymakers will first identify the digital services that present the highest risks to children, including platforms offering addictive features or age-inappropriate content, before introducing phased access rules based on age.
Von der Leyen stressed that technology companies must be held accountable for the safety of the products they develop, arguing that online platforms should meet the same standards of responsibility expected from manufacturers in other industries.
The European Commission is expected to review recommendations from its expert panel before presenting formal legislative proposals after the summer.
Her remarks coincide with the publication of a new Eurobarometer survey showing strong public backing for stricter online protections. The survey found that nearly two-thirds of Europeans support age-based restrictions on children’s access to social media, while cyberbullying, online exploitation, harmful content, and misuse of children’s personal data remain among the public’s greatest concerns.
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