EU Pushes EU-wide Ban on Social Media for Children Under 13

The European Commission, led by President Ursula von der Leyen, announced plans for an EU-wide restriction that would prevent children younger than 13 years from accessing “social media plus” platforms—services that include traditional social networks, video-game-linked feeds and AI chatbots. The Commission aims to present a draft law in the autumn of 2026, after an expert panel recommended a staged, age-appropriate approach to internet use. The proposal would require member states to adopt the ban, though the exact minimum age has not been fixed.

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The recommendation stems from a panel co-chaired by German child-psychiatrist Jörg Fegert and French epidemiologist Maria Melchior. Their report urges “no screen use under three, except in limited ways such as video calls or looking at family photos,” and suggests time-limited, supervised internet use for ages three to twelve, with gradually decreasing oversight. The panel highlights the “very vulnerable phase” of ages 10-13, citing U.S. research on heightened mental-health risks, especially for girls concerning body-image issues. While the experts note a lack of definitive data to set a precise cut-off, they argue that early exposure amplifies the impact of addictive design features such as infinite scroll and personalized algorithms.

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President von der Leyen framed the initiative as a protective measure:

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• “It is clear we need age-appropriate restrictions to platforms.”

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• “This is not about whether children can access social media. It is about whether and when social media can access our children.”

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• “We do not expect children to design their own seatbelts. We do not expect parents to fit airbags at home.”

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The Commission has already issued preliminary indictments against Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram) and TikTok for alleged failure to mitigate addictive design, both of which have rejected the findings and continue to be investigated.

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Estonia has voiced opposition, arguing that regulation should focus on platform design rather than age bans, warning that children will circumvent restrictions. The report itself acknowledges limited data on the optimal age threshold and notes that harmful features affect adults as well. Additionally, member states are already pursuing varied age limits: France plans a ban for under-15s, Spain for under-16s, and Greece will enforce under-15 curbs on 1 January 2027. Critics caution that a uniform EU ban may create enforcement challenges and could push young users toward unregulated alternatives.

The Guardian