&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "No social media under 13, supervised access till 15: EU unveils new online safety rules for children")
The European Union plans to ban social media use for children under 13 and allow limited, supervised access for those aged 13 to 15, under new plans announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday (Sept 16).
"It is time for Europe to act," von der Leyen said during her annual address to the European Parliament. She also warned that the EU must make its own rules rather than allow big technology companies to decide them.
The proposal comes amid growing concerns about the impact of social media on children’s physical and mental health. Policymakers around the world are facing increasing pressure to introduce stricter rules for children online.
However, the European Commission has proposed a gradual approach based on the age of the child.
What are the proposed age limits?
Under the plan, children below 13 would not be allowed to use social media.
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Those aged 13 to under 15 would only be allowed to use limited accounts created and supervised by a parent or guardian. These accounts would have fewer features and would be subject to a daily time limit of one hour.
For teenagers aged 15 to 18, social media platforms would be required to follow stricter safety-by-design rules.
"No social media under the age of 13. No personal account under the age of 15," von der Leyen said.
The proposed rules would also target addictive features such as infinite scrolling when they are used by children. Platforms that violate the rules could face fines of up to six per cent of their annual turnover, according to details in a draft document.
EU steps up pressure on Big Tech
Von der Leyen highlighted the case of a 14-year-old girl in Belgium named Olea, who died by suicide a month ago after being bullied. She quoted the girl's mother as saying she believed her daughter would still be alive without social media.
Von der Leyen said the problem of addictive design is not limited to children and can affect users of all ages. She said the EU would propose additional rules later this autumn.
The announcement comes after pressure from several EU countries, including France, Denmark and Greece, for stronger action to protect children from online harms.
Australia became the first country to introduce a ban on social media for children under 16 last year. The move has since encouraged similar proposals in other countries.
France welcomed the EU announcement. Government spokeswoman Maud Bregeon called it "a step in the right direction" as Paris continues to work on its own legislation.
The EU has already taken action against major technology companies through its Digital Services Act. The bloc has asked Meta's Facebook and Instagram, as well as TikTok, to address concerns over potentially addictive platform designs.
However, Brussels has said progress has been slower than it expected and is now considering additional measures to strengthen protections for children online.
