EU May Announce Social Media Ban for Children on September 16: Ursula von der Leyen
EC President Ursula von der Leyen will announce proposals for a pan-European social media ban for children on September 16. This is part of her priority to protect children online. The initiative involves legislative measures to restrict children's access to platforms.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to announce proposals for a pan-European ban on social media use by children on September 16 in Strasbourg. This will occur during her annual «State of the Union» address.
Euractiv learned this from EU officials and diplomats. The initiative will pave the way for EU legislation or other regulatory measures that will oblige platforms to prevent children below a minimum age from creating accounts. The minimum age and implementation mechanisms are yet to be determined. National governments have proposed various options, from mandatory parental consent to age verification technologies.
Protecting children online is one of von der Leyen’s key priorities. An expert group advising the Commission is expected to publish its recommendations on July 13. Similar initiatives have previously been put forward in Britain (ban for under 16s) and Sweden (for under 15s).