Europe takes steps toward a possible social media ban for children

Following the publication of a new report, the European Commission is considering changing rules across all 27 member states. On Monday, the European Union moved closer to a plan to ban social media for children, which would represent the most significant effort to date in the global movement to set age limits for apps like TikTok and Instagram.

Experts have submitted a report to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, recommending that access to social media be restricted for children under 13, unless they are supervised by a parent or teacher.

The report, written by child psychiatrist Professor Jörg Fegert and epidemiologist Dr. Maria Melchior, also recommends that young people aged 13 to 18 only have access to social media platforms with safety measures, such as limiting infinite scrolling. It also states that children under 3 should not be exposed to screens at all.

These recommendations are a first step toward a law banning children and teenagers from using certain social networks. Ms. von der Leyen, who appointed the members of this expert group, is expected to present this draft law in September during her annual State of the Union address.

"It is clear that we need age-appropriate access restrictions for platforms," Ms. von der Leyen said on Monday. "It is not about whether children can access social media, but about whether, and when, social media can access our children."

Across Europe, children now spend between four and six hours a day on social media, and nearly 60% of them have already encountered emotional or psychosocial problems online, Ms. von der Leyen stated.

This report is part of a global movement to limit children's screen time and their exposure to social media. Companies in the sector are facing a backlash from parents concerned about addiction to these technologies and their potentially harmful effects on the mental health of young people.

Last year, Australia became the first country in the world to ban children under 16 from accessing social media. Since then, countries such as Denmark, France, Germany, Spain, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia have implemented or are considering implementing similar regulations. In the United States, Florida passed a law in 2024 banning the use of social media for those under 14 without parental consent.

If the European Union adopts a new law, it would be by far the most significant initiative in the world aimed at restricting children's access to social media. The EU has about 450 million inhabitants, nearly 18% of whom are under 18.

However, passing such a law would require a long legislative process involving negotiations between the 27 member states, which do not always agree on the need for new laws and regulations.

The question of how to enforce these rules also remains open. In Australia, critics argue that many teenagers easily bypass the restrictions and that the law has not fully lived up to its promises.

Even without a formal ban, Brussels authorities are already seeking to force social media companies to change their practices. Last week, they ordered Meta to overhaul the addictive mechanisms of Instagram and Facebook, or face heavy fines.

TikTok is also facing similar demands as part of a separate investigation.