European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced that the European Union is actively considering raising the minimum age for social media use across the bloc, with a formal legislative proposal potentially arriving as early as this summer.
Speaking at a conference in Copenhagen focused on child protection in the age of Artificial Intelligence, von der Leyen emphasized the need to shield young citizens during their most formative years.
A Unified European Approach
While several member states have already taken individual action—France, for instance, has pushed for a minimum age of 15—the Commission is looking for a harmonized solution. Von der Leyen noted that she is awaiting the final findings of an expert panel currently evaluating online safety for children.
“Childhood and early adolescence are formative years, and I believe we must give our children more time to become resilient during this vulnerable stage,” von der Leyen stated.
Learning from the “Australian Pioneer”
The Commission President pointed to Australia as a “pioneer” in this field, following its decision to raise the minimum age for social media access to 16. The EU aims to draw lessons from the Australian model to implement effective age-gating across its 27 member states.
Accountability and “Safety by Design”
The President was clear that age limits do not absolve tech giants of their duties. She urged companies to ensure their platforms are safe “by design,” a core requirement of the EU’s landmark Digital Services Act (DSA).
Key points of the proposed strategy include:
- Age Verification: Implementation of the recently launched EU age verification app to ensure compliance.
- Corporate Responsibility: Technology firms must remain accountable for the content and algorithms young users encounter.
- Resilience Building: Delaying access to digital stressors until adolescents are better equipped to handle them.
Addressing concerns regarding the new EU age verification app—which has faced criticism over potential security flaws—von der Leyen stood firm, insisting that the tool “meets all necessary criteria” for privacy and safety.
