EU will launch social media age rules to protect children after the summer
The European Commission wants to introduce a “start date” for children to join social media. It will come up with a proposal after the summer.
A few months ago, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, commissioned a Special Panel on Child Safety Online. On Monday, the panel presented its long-awaited report and conclusions.
When receiving the report, Von der Leyen was avid about bringing change to the social media industry.
“We in Europe believe that parents bring up our kids, and not predatory algorithms. To that end, let me be very clear: social media is not a toy. The status quo, a world where we continue to allow big tech unrestricted access to our children, will only consign another generation to more mental harm, addiction and misery,” she said.
The President of the European Commission points to the risks of social media, including loss of sleep, depression, anxiety, cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, and emotional and psychosocial problems online.
“All this is happening while our children’s brains are still developing. We cannot expect children to succeed in a system that was never designed with their wellbeing in mind, when they are most vulnerable,” Von der Leyen argued.
Existing European legislation, such as the Digital Services Act (DSA), requires social media platforms to address harmful content, addictive design choices, and dark patterns.
However, this is insufficient to properly protect children online, Von der Leyen feels. Therefore, stronger safeguards are needed.
One of the protective measures she envisions is age verification apps. “It is easy to use, privacy-preserving, and open source. This is about putting power back into the hands of parents,” Von der Leyen said.
Lastly, she endorsed the idea of introducing a “social media start date.”
“Just as we do not give our children keys to the car before they have their license or let them buy alcohol until they are legally allowed, we need to set the age at which they can legally access social media,” the President of the European Commission explained.
Von der Leyen admits this won’t be infallible and that it will take time to take effect, but when it comes to online safety, it’s all worth it.
“We have heard from parents, educators, experts, and young people themselves. We have heard the experience from partners like Australia, as well as our Member States. Now we need action at European level,” she concluded her speech.
In the upcoming weeks, the European Commission will review the Special Panel’s report and recommendations. After the summer, the executive branch of the EU will present a proposal on social media age rules.