The European Union is gearing up to tighten regulations on social media access for children and teenagers, as it seeks to address growing concerns over digital safety for young people. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube could soon see stricter age limits, potentially raising the minimum age for independent access to 13, 15, or even 16.
A specific legislative proposal is expected by Thursday, reflecting the EU's desire to require more protective measures from tech giants, particularly regarding youth protection. However, implementing these changes remains one of the main challenges policymakers face.
According to officials in Brussels, the European Commission is considering a ban on social media access for children and teenagers below the age of 13 or possibly 15.
Under the draft proposal, those younger than the minimum age would only be able to access apps under parental or school staff supervision and would no longer be allowed to create their own profiles. It remains unclear whether the Commission intends to extend these restrictions to other types of online platforms or digital games.
Currently, most online services, including Snapchat and Instagram, already require users to be at least 13 years old. However, enforcement is minimal: users simply have to enter a date of birth to register, and this information is not systematically verified.
Rather than imposing a blanket ban, experts recommend that the EU also place specific obligations on tech companies. Firms would be required to make their apps safer for minors, including removing addictive algorithms and providing protection from violent content or hate speech.
The Commission could grant access to certain services without age restrictions once they are deemed sufficiently safe.
The EU has already introduced rules for digital platforms under the Digital Services Act (DSA), and nearly all major platforms are currently under investigation for shortcomings in youth protection. Brussels is demanding changes and has warned that non-compliance could lead to significant financial penalties.
The enforcement of any new social media age restrictions would fall to the European Commission itself. The Commission monitors the major tech platforms and can impose fines for violations. However, it is still unclear how companies would be required to verify users’ ages more rigorously.
One possibility is that age verification could be managed through a digital ID card linked to the so-called E-Wallet, which is expected to become available in Germany next year. The Commission has also developed an app designed to store age information on smartphones and automatically block forbidden apps and websites.
This app is already being tested in several EU countries. Nevertheless, it is already known that such age restrictions can be bypassed using a VPN connection.
A ban for children and teenagers would mean that all users would have to provide proof of age. According to Simeon de Brouwer of the digital rights organisation EDRi, such a requirement would be "harmful and disproportionate". Others point out that young people also have a right to use the internet. Privacy advocates have also raised concerns over whether the app-based system would be secure.
Ideally, the only information shared with platforms would be whether a user is old enough. However, security experts have already managed to hack available prototypes and apps, gaining access to private data.
Setting aside technical and practical challenges, it is likely to be some time before any EU-wide social media ban for minors comes into force.
Ursula von der Leyen will present her plans to the European Parliament on Wednesday, after which the Commission must submit a formal legislative proposal. The proposal will then be debated by both the Parliament and the Council, representing the 27 member states, a process that typically takes several months.
Several countries, including Denmark, Greece, and France, have already been calling for stricter social media bans for some time.
