EU Moves Toward Social-Media Age Restrictions as Child Safety Concerns Grow

The European Union is moving closer to introducing EU-wide restrictions on children's access to social media, amid growing concerns over addictive platform design, online safety and the impact of social media on children's mental health. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to present a proposal on September 16, potentially introducing age-based restrictions for platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and X. What age could children be allowed to use social media? The exact threshold has not yet been settled. The European Commission has been considering a tiered approach, potentially allowing limited access for younger teenagers and gradually increasing their access as they get older. However, French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing for a tougher EU-wide rule that would prevent children under 15 from accessing social media. Macron has urged the European Commission to adopt a common European standard rather than leaving each country to establish separate rules. The European Parliament has previously gone even further, calling for an EU-wide minimum digital age of 16, with parental consent potentially allowing younger teenagers aged 13–15 to access services. Why is the EU taking action? European policymakers are increasingly concerned about features they believe can encourage excessive or addictive use, including: Infinite scrolling Autoplay videos Persistent notifications Algorithmic recommendation systems Highly personalised content feeds Other engagement-driven platform features The issue has intensified after a Portuguese digital-rights organisation filed lawsuits against Meta, TikTok and YouTube, alleging that addictive design features are deliberately used to keep users engaged. 🇫🇷 Macron pushes for a European-wide ban France has been one of the strongest advocates of tighter restrictions. Macron has called for an EU-wide under-15 social-media ban, arguing that European countries need a coordinated approach to protect children. His push follows France's difficulties in implementing its own national restrictions. Other European countries are also examining restrictions, meaning the EU could eventually move toward a common framework rather than a patchwork of national laws. The big challenge: age verification One of the biggest practical questions is how platforms would verify a user's age without unnecessarily collecting sensitive personal information. The EU is already developing digital age-verification technology that would allow users to prove they meet an age requirement without necessarily revealing their full identity to a website. This creates a difficult balance between child protection, privacy and freedom of access to information. 🇺🇸 Potential clash with Big Tech The proposed rules could have major implications for American technology companies because many of the world's biggest social-media platforms are U.S.-based. The EU is already investigating major platforms over potentially harmful or addictive features. The new age restrictions could therefore become another major regulatory confrontation between Brussels and Silicon Valley. A growing global movement Europe's debate is part of a much wider international shift toward regulating children's online experiences. In the United States, California has just enacted new restrictions preventing social-media platforms from exposing users under 16 to certain psychologically exploitative features, including infinite scrolling and algorithmic autoplay. That means governments on both sides of the Atlantic are increasingly targeting not only what children see online, but also how platforms are designed to keep them engaged. Why this matters The EU decision could establish a major precedent for the global technology industry. If Brussels introduces a common age threshold and requires effective age verification, platforms could face significant changes to how they register, recommend content to and interact with younger users. The proposal could also reignite the debate over whether governments should ban children from social media altogether or instead force technology companies to make their platforms safer for young users. Key sources: Reuters, Financial Times, European Parliament and European Commission.