European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the EU is considering “phased and gradual” age-based restrictions on social media use for children under 13, following recommendations from an expert panel on online child safety. Speaking to reporters, von der Leyen links the issue to concerns about children’s development and the impact of features that can be addictive, such as infinite scrolling. She also argues that different age groups may need different levels of access, and that children should be allowed only when social media can be shown to be safe.
The panel recommends that providers carry the burden of proof for safety by design. It says that, until platforms demonstrate their services are safe, social media and other digital services should have restricted access for children under 13 across the EU. For older children, the panel suggests additional, precautionary age restrictions and outlines a spectrum of approaches, including supervised use for ages 3 to 12 and safety-oriented autonomy for ages 13 to 18.
Von der Leyen says the Commission is expected to prepare a legal proposal later this year to help harmonize rules among the EU’s 27 member states, after national debates over differing minimum ages.
