Social Media Ban: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday proposed stronger restrictions on children’s access to social media, online games and chatbots. She proposed that children under 13 should not be allowed to access these services. Her comments come as several countries have recently introduced or announced restrictions on children being drawn into ever more extreme content.

What Did EU Chief Say?

Speaking during her annual State of the European Union address in Strasbourg, Leyen said, “I am aware that many perceive the power of Big Tech as overwhelming and impossible to roll back. I disagree…We do not have to accept addictive features. We do not have to accept children being drawn into ever more extreme content. We do not have to accept that girls have their photos used for AI-generated sexualized images.”

What Does The US Proposal Say

According to the EU chief's proposal, children below 13 would be restricted from accessing social media, online games, and chatbots. Children aged 13 to 15 may instead use “mini accounts” that would be supervised by parents or guardians. The proposal will now be considered by the EU’s 27 member states.

The proposal is significant as several countries have recently introduced or announced restrictions on children’s access to social media, citing children’s massive exposure to addictive platform features, harmful content and the misuse of their images through artificial intelligence.

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Which Countries Have Introduced Restrictions?

Australia became the first country to introduce a nationwide social media minimum-age law, with major platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube restricted for users under 16. The UAE has banned children under the age of 15 from creating or using personal social media accounts. Indonesia has introduced restrictions on under-16 users accessing high-risk social media platforms.

Malaysia has also announced restrictions on social media account creation and access for users under 16. Similarly, France has approved restrictions aimed at preventing children under 15 from creating social media accounts. However, it was struck down by France’s top court. Brazil has also introduced rules requiring users under 16 to link their social media accounts to a parent or guardian.

Countries Planning To Introduce Restrictions

Meanwhile, several other countries are also preparing to impose restrictions on social media use by children. The UK has announced plans for an under-16 social media restriction, with the rules expected to take effect in 2027. Norway has also proposed legislation that would establish a minimum digital age of 16 for social media. Similarly, Austria is planning restrictions on social media use by children under 14, alongside measures to promote digital literacy.

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