EU to put age tag on social media access

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen on Tuesday said the European Union (EU) could introduce new legislation within months to place age restrictions on children’s access to social media platforms, as European governments push for tougher online safety measures for minors.

Speaking at an EU summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, Von der Leyen said an expert panel would present recommendations by July on how to better protect children online.

The proposal comes as several countries across Europe and beyond move to introduce age limits, verification systems and outright bans for underage users.

“The discussion about a minimum age for social media can no longer be ignored,” she said.

Denmark, which hosted the summit, alongside nine other EU member states including France, has proposed different minimum age limits for social media access.

Australia became the first country to introduce a nationwide social media ban for users under 16 in December 2025, while countries in Europe are considering similar measures.

In the United Kingdom, authorities are preparing stricter social media regulations for under-16s, including possible bans, mandatory age verification and tighter content controls. A national consultation on the proposals is expected to close on May 26, 2026.

France is seeking to ban children under 15 from accessing social media platforms, with plans to implement the policy by September this year.

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Spain is also considering restrictions for users under 16 as part of efforts to tackle online addiction, pornography and harmful content.

Earlier this year, Portugal passed legislation requiring parental consent for social media users aged 13 to 16, while also tightening restrictions for children under 13. The bill includes mandatory age-verification technology.

Germany is discussing plans that could ban children under 14 from social media and impose restrictions on teenagers up to 16 years old. Proposed measures include strict age checks, “safe” youth versions of platforms and the removal of addictive algorithms.

According to BBC, Norway also plans to introduce a social media ban for under-16s before the end of 2026, requiring technology companies to enforce age verification systems.

Outside Europe, New Zealand, Malaysia and India have also proposed restrictions on children’s access to social media.

Von der Leyen said the EU’s push for stricter rules would not reduce the responsibility of technology companies.

“The question is not whether young people should have access to social media. The question is whether social media should have access to young people”, she said. “Let us give childhood back to children.”

The European Commission, acting as the EU’s digital watchdog, has intensified investigations into major technology firms under the Digital Services Act, which seeks to enforce stronger child safety protections online.

Last month, the Commission said Meta’s Instagram and Facebook breached the law by failing to prevent children under 13 from using the platforms. In February, the EU also warned TikTok of possible heavy fines unless it changed what regulators described as its “addictive design”.

The EU’s tougher approach toward social media companies has drawn criticism from the administration of former US President Donald Trump.

After Elon Musk’s platform X was fined last December, US officials accused the European Commission of targeting and censoring American technology firms.

Several high-profile European figures, including former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, were later barred from entering the United States.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said “ideologues in Europe” were attempting to pressure American platforms into restricting viewpoints they opposed.

Responding to the criticism, von der Leyen said the EU would continue enforcing its regulations.

“set rules. It’s the law, and those who break it will be held accountable”, she said.

(BBC)