Children across the European Union could face new limits on social media use as early as this summer, with a panel of experts expected to recommend measures aimed at reducing the risks minors face on online platforms.
The move comes as pressure grows among European countries to introduce stronger protections for children online, following Australia’s decision to become the first country in the world to ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms.
Several EU countries, including Denmark and Greece, have pushed for similar restrictions, prompting Brussels to consider a range of options, including age limits, restrictions on specific online features and tighter rules for platforms used by children.
However, the European Commission has indicated that a complete ban on social media access for minors is unlikely to be the preferred approach, with officials saying no final decision will be made until the expert panel submits its recommendations on July 13.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has previously supported stronger measures to protect children online, with a formal announcement expected in September, although the timeline could still change.
"It is not the question when children or teenagers would have access to social media, I would say it's more the question when social media has access to our children and teenagers," she said last week.
The debate has gained urgency as some European governments move ahead with their own laws. France has already drafted legislation aimed at restricting children’s access to certain online platforms, although the European Commission on Monday asked Paris to revise the proposal, saying it affected powers held by Brussels.
The EU says its approach will go beyond setting age limits and will also focus on how online platforms are designed and how their business models affect children’s experiences.
"Whatever decisions are made on age limits, we must also tackle the business models and design choices shaping children's online experiences every day," EU consumer protection commissioner Michael McGrath told AFP.
Focus shifts to harmful features
Rather than blocking all social media platforms, the expert panel is expected to consider targeted restrictions on features considered harmful to children.
The discussion has been influenced by recommendations from a German panel that recently suggested two possible approaches: setting a legal minimum age of 13, which is already the requirement on many platforms, or placing limits on specific services and features.
The European Commission has also been monitoring Australia’s under-16 social media ban, including the challenges that have emerged during its implementation, as it considers the best way forward.
Brussels could instead adopt a risk-based approach by restricting features such as endless scrolling, personalised content feeds and other designs viewed as harmful, rather than banning platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok entirely.
Social media restrictions have gained support in several countries, with Britain and Indonesia also moving toward similar measures. Greece and Spain have prepared their own proposals, while Estonia remains strongly opposed to a broad ban.
A YouGov survey published on Thursday showed that a majority of people in France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain support forcing platforms to remove features such as endless scrolling and personalised feeds, which they believe can negatively affect children.
Digital rights groups, however, have warned that banning children from social media may not be the best solution. They argue that existing laws should instead be enforced to make online spaces safer for minors.
"We don't think that exclusion is the answer. We need to enforce our existing laws," Simeon de Brouwer of digital rights group EDRi told AFP, adding he hoped new strengthened consumer protection rules would be "ambitious".
McGrath said upcoming legislation would treat children as vulnerable consumers and require platforms to build stronger protections into their services.
"The new law expected later this year would recognise children as vulnerable consumers and that minors must be protected by design," he said.
Platforms to carry greater responsibility
Public support for tougher action remains strong, with many Europeans calling on technology companies to take greater responsibility for protecting young users.
The YouGov survey found that 75 percent of more than 5,100 adults questioned believed platforms should not allow minors to access their services until they can prove the platforms are safe for children.
"We must focus on measures that ensure the responsibility lies with the platforms to prove their products are safe before they can be used by children, or anyone," Michiel van Hulten, EU director at Reset Tech, said.
The EU already has legal powers through its online content rules, which require major digital platforms to remove harmful and dangerous content quickly while restricting targeted advertising aimed at children.
As the debate continues, European lawmakers are weighing whether stricter age controls or stronger safety requirements for online platforms will provide the best protection for children using social media.