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EU to Ban Social Media for Under-13s, Drafts Legislation

7/13/2026

Summary

Story summary

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the EU will draft legislation to ban social-media for children under 13.
Commission framed the ban as a safeguard against predatory algorithms, not a restriction on parental freedom.
France, Spain and Greece already set age limits, with Greece’s rule taking effect on 1 January 2027.
The EU issued indictments against Meta and TikTok for features such as infinite scroll, autoplay and feeds that encourage use.

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Story summary

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the EU will draft legislation to ban social-media for children under 13.
Commission framed the ban as a safeguard against predatory algorithms, not a restriction on parental freedom.
France, Spain and Greece already set age limits, with Greece’s rule taking effect on 1 January 2027.
The EU issued indictments against Meta and TikTok for features such as infinite scroll, autoplay and feeds that encourage use.