EU needs to delay social media access for children - von der Leyen

EU needs to delay social media access for children - von der Leyen15 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleKristina VölkAFPUrsula von der Leyen introducing EU plans for children's online safetyEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a "social media delay" for children in Europe and has said new legislation could be put forward in months.She told an EU summit in Copenhagen that an expert panel was due to come up with steps on how to protect minors online by July.Several countries in Europe and around the world have already introduced social media bans for minors, and von der Leyen did not rule that out."The discussion about a minimum age for social media can no longer be ignored," she said. Denmark, where Tuesday's summit was being held, and nine other EU member states including France have proposed various minimum age limits for access to platforms.Australia became the first country in the world to introduce a ban for under-16s last December and European countries are planning to follow suit.In the UK, plans are under way for strict social media regulations, also for under-16s. This entails potential bans, age verification and content restrictions. A major national consultation is due to close on 26 May 2026.France is pushing to ban social media access for children under 15, aiming for implementation by September this year.In Spain, there are plans to ban social media access for under-16s, to combat addiction, pornography, and harmful content.The Portuguese government passed a bill earlier this year requiring parental consent for users aged 13 to 16 and strengthening restrictions on those under 13. The plan includes mandatory age-verification technology.Plans are being formed by the German government focusing on a potential ban for children under 14, with restrictions for teenagers up to 16. Key measures include enforcing strict age verification, creating "safe" youth versions, and removing addi...