The EU social media ban proposal would block under-13s, restrict younger teenagers to supervised accounts and impose stronger protections on digital platforms.
STRASBOURG: The EU social media ban proposal would prevent children under 13 from using social networks across the 27-member bloc, as European policymakers push for stronger safeguards against addictive features and other online risks facing young people.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined the age-based restrictions during her State of the Union address before the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The Commission is advancing the measures through its proposed EU Kids Act.
The legislation is not yet in force. It must go through the EU legislative process before the proposed restrictions can become binding across member states.
What would happen to children under 13?
Under the proposal, children below 13 would not be allowed to use social media.
For children aged 13 to under 15, the approach would be different. They could access social media only through limited “mini accounts” created and supervised by parents or guardians.
Those accounts would have restricted features and a daily usage limit of one hour. Children under 15 would therefore be unable to create independent personal accounts under the proposed system.
Teenagers aged 15 to 18 would continue to have access, but platforms would be required to apply safety-by-design protections appropriate for younger users.
Also read: Why is the UK banning social media for under-16s?
Why is the EU proposing new restrictions?
European policymakers are increasingly concerned about the effects of addictive platform design, harmful content and excessive screen time on children.
Von der Leyen said technology companies must demonstrate that their products provide safe environments for young people. The EU social media ban forms part of a broader effort to establish different protections depending on a child’s age.
The proposed rules extend beyond traditional social networks. The Commission is also targeting risks associated with video-sharing services, online games and AI chatbots used by minors.
Implementation could prove challenging. An EU-wide age restriction would require platforms to determine whether users meet minimum-age requirements without creating unnecessary privacy risks around identity verification.
The proposal also arrives as governments worldwide consider stronger controls on children’s social media access. Australia has already introduced age restrictions, while several European governments have pursued or considered their own measures.
If adopted, the EU social media ban would establish a common framework across the bloc rather than leaving minimum-age rules entirely to individual countries.
Also read: Denmark officially bans social media for children ages 15 & under
Impact to expect
Protection. Families could gain stronger controls over children’s social media use, while major technology platforms may need to redesign accounts, age-verification systems and safety features for millions of young European users.
