EU Commission announces age-based restrictions for minors across social media platforms

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced the upcoming implementation of age-based restrictions for minors on social media platforms to address growing concerns over mental and physical health risks. The move follows a report from an expert panel that advocates for a "staged approach" to digital access, including strict parental supervision and time limits for users under the age of 13. This initiative marks a major regulatory escalation for the social media industry, as the EU seeks to transition from data-privacy-focused rules to direct safety-based usage mandates.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed on Monday that the EU will impose new age-based restrictions across social media platforms, following recommendations from a panel of experts tasked with developing a practical approach to online child safety. While the Commission has not yet specified a universal minimum age, the expert report suggested that children under 13 should only have "time-limited" access under parental supervision and recommended no screen time at all for children under three. Von der Leyen expressed strong support for a "staged approach" that reflects a child's maturity level, indicating that a formal legislative proposal is expected to be drafted by early fall.

This regulatory push aligns with a broader trend across Europe and internationally, as countries like Denmark, France, and Greece pursue national-level age restrictions. France has notably pledged to ban social media for users under 15, while Spain is exploring similar restrictions for those under 16. These measures build upon existing General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) frameworks, which currently limit platform access for users under 13 primarily because they cannot legally consent to data processing. The new proposals shift the focus toward protecting children from algorithmic influence and ensuring they have time for face-to-face social development, with von der Leyen emphasizing the need for children to shape their own identities before algorithms do.

Despite the momentum, the proposed restrictions face criticism and significant implementation hurdles. Estonia’s Education Minister, Kristina Kallas, has argued that bans are ineffective because minors will inevitably find ways to bypass them, suggesting instead that the burden of responsibility should fall on corporations and governments to regulate platform design rather than making children responsible for self-regulation. As the Commission moves toward a legislative draft, the social media sector faces looming questions regarding the technical feasibility of age verification, the preservation of user privacy, and the legal enforcement of these standards across different member states. The resulting negotiations in the European Parliament are expected to be lengthy, as stakeholders grapple with the complexities of holding technology companies accountable for the safety of their youngest users.