Children's social media curbs planned across EU, von der Leyen says
By Foo Yun Chee and Bart H. Meijer
EU Plans for Restricting Children's Access to Social Media
BRUSSELS, July 13 (Reuters) - The European Union will move to limit young children's access to social media across the 27-member bloc, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday, in what would be the biggest such effort to date to guard against online dangers.
Expert Recommendations and Proposed Measures
Von der Leyen presented a paper from two experts recommending a tiered approach, with under-13s only allowed to use social media for limited periods under the supervision of parents, caregivers and teachers. The curbs would be lifted gradually as teenagers got older.
Need for Age-Appropriate Restrictions
"It is clear we need age-appropriate restrictions to platforms," von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels.
"The question is no longer if children face risks online, but what can we do to give children a safer start online," she said.
Timeline and Next Steps
Von der Leyen indicated that she was likely to follow the experts' suggestions and that the Commission would present a concrete proposal after the summer. She is expected to announce it at her state of the union address in September.
Global Context and Industry Response
Australia, Britain, China, India and the United States have already imposed a social media ban or are considering one, which would mainly target TikTok, Alphabet's YouTube and Meta's Instagram and Facebook.
Social Media Platforms' Current Measures
Those companies did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. Social media platforms have said they have measures to protect younger users and many have already imposed age restrictions.
Defining Harmful Platforms and Phased Access
Identifying Harmful Platforms
"We first need to consider the type of platforms that are harmful to our children. The evidence shows that this is mainly social media platforms, but also other providers with age-inappropriate and addictive features. So think of it as social media plus," von der Leyen said.
Phased and Gradual Access for Different Age Ranges
"And when we have this clearly defined category, I believe we need to consider phased and gradual access for different age ranges," she added.
Editing and Additional Contributions
(Editing by Louise Heavens and Andrew Heavens)