EU to Propose Social Media Age Limits Under 13 After Summer
Updated
Updated · Euronews · Jul 13
EU to Propose Social Media Age Limits Under 13 After Summer
3 articles · Updated · Euronews · Jul 13
Summary
Post-summer legislation will be put to EU member states, Ursula von der Leyen said, after an expert panel backed minimum social media ages and a phased approach for children.
Under-13s should use social media only with adult supervision and for limited periods, she said, calling that threshold the panel's most convincing recommendation.
Research cited by the Commission found young people spend 4 to 6 hours a day on screens, while nearly 60% of young children have faced emotional or psychosocial problems online.
Age-verification tools and platform design changes are likely to be central, with von der Leyen arguing tech companies—not parents or children—carry a duty of care for online safety.
The push would move the EU toward bloc-wide rules on features such as infinite scroll, autoplay and persistent notifications, extending scrutiny already facing major platforms under the Digital Services Act.
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.