EU Sets 13 as Minimum Unsupervised Social Media Age, Tightening Child Access Rules
Updated
Updated · POLITICO Europe · Jul 13
EU Sets 13 as Minimum Unsupervised Social Media Age, Tightening Child Access Rules
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO Europe · Jul 13
Summary
Ursula von der Leyen said the EU will impose a minimum age for young users to access social media without parental supervision, turning expert recommendations into a planned bloc-wide restriction.
The panel report she presented recommends minors under 13 get only time-limited social media access and only with parental supervision, framing the policy as limiting platforms' access to children rather than banning children outright.
The move is part of a broader EU push against social media harms, with additional safeguards expected for 13- to 18-year-olds and draft legislation anticipated in September.
That effort follows wider scrutiny of addictive platform design and online safety, as the EU weighs tougher child-protection rules under its digital regulatory framework.
Will the EU's plan to gate social media protect kids, or will it create a massive new surveillance system for everyone?
Is banning kids from social media a real solution, or a simple answer to a complex youth mental health crisis?
EU to Roll Out Phased Social Media Access for Minors by July 2026: New Age Verification and Safety Rules Explained
Overview
Starting July 2026, the European Union will introduce a phased approach to social media access for minors, responding to rising concerns about children's safety and well-being online. This shift follows EU investigations that found tech giants like Meta and TikTok in breach of the Digital Services Act due to addictive platform designs. Strong public demand for accountability, shown by a YouGov poll where 75% of adults support restricting minors' access until safety is proven, is driving these changes. The new rules will pressure platforms to demonstrate safety for young users, using progressive restrictions instead of outright bans.