EU Considers Social Media Ban for Children

The European Commission is considering an EU-wide ban on social media for children under 13, following recommendations from an expert panel co-chaired by German child psychiatrist Jörg Fegert and French epidemiologist Maria Melchior. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged a draft law in the autumn, emphasizing the need for age-appropriate restrictions to protect children from 'predatory algorithms.' The proposal comes after an expert group called for restrictions on social media use for those under 13.

The panel recommended a 'staged approach' to internet use by age group and suggested that governments of member states could opt for higher 'precautionary' age restrictions. At least 10 EU countries have announced plans for bans, with France pledging to ban social media for under-15s and Spain aiming for restrictions on under-16s. Greece will implement curbs for under-15s starting January 2027.

The European Commission has already concluded preliminary indictments against Meta and TikTok, citing their 'addictive' design features such as infinite scroll, video autoplay, push notifications, and highly-personalized algorithms. The expert panel recommended no screen use under three, except for limited activities like video calls or looking at family photos. For ages three to 12, the group suggested time-limited internet use with a carer or teacher.

TikTok's policy chief Ali Law defended the platform's safety measures, highlighting over 50 preset safety settings for users under 16. These include a one-hour screen time limit and restrictions on direct messages and selling on TikTok Shop. Law emphasized that these measures aim to ensure a healthy relationship with the app.