The European Union is considering an ambitious initiative to restrict children's access to social media. The proposal is led by Greece, with support from France and Spain. The idea is to introduce new EU-wide rules that would limit the ability of minors to use platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat without parental consent, Politico reports.
It is proposed to establish a single "digital age of majority" for the entire EU, until which children will not be able to use social networks without permission. The initiative is expected to be discussed by EU digital policy ministers in early June. Denmark, which will soon lead the EU Council, has already said it will make protecting children online one of its priorities. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has previously supported the idea of banning social networks for children under 15.
The idea comes amid concerns about children's excessive use of social media and the negative impact of online content. French President Emmanuel Macron has been pushing the initiative for months, arguing that children under 15 should be protected from certain forms of online behavior. France passed a law last year restricting access to social media for children under 15, but it has not yet been fully implemented.
The initiative proposes mandatory age verification at the device level, as well as new European standards that would limit the use of addictive features in apps — auto-playing videos, content personalization, and pop-ups. This could cause resistance from companies like Apple and Google, which do not want controls at the device level. Meta, on the other hand, advocates for age verification at the app or store level.
The initiators emphasize that protecting children from digital risks requires joint action across the EU. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized that a complete ban is ineffective, and instead, the focus should be on age verification and adapting services to the needs of children. France, Spain and Greece will also test a special age verification application developed by the European Commission.
By the way, the issue of restricting children's access to social networks is gaining more and more resonance in the world - especially after Australia announced its intention to introduce a minimum age of 16 for creating accounts on a number of social networks from the end of 2024.