EU Countries Push Stricter Social Media Age Limits for Children

Several European Union countries, including France, Greece, Denmark, Spain, Cyprus, Italy, and Slovenia, are pushing for stricter regulations to protect minors from harmful social media content by proposing age restrictions and parental consent requirements. France has already enacted a law requiring platforms to obtain parental consent for users under 15, but it awaits EU-wide approval. The coalition advocates for a European 'Digital Majority Age' of 15 or 16 years, aiming to curb children's access to platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, citing concerns about mental health risks and exposure to harmful content. Denmark, assuming the EU Council presidency in July, plans to focus its October digital ministers meeting entirely on children's online safety, emphasizing the need for robust age verification mechanisms beyond current EU rules. Meanwhile, the EU Commission intends to launch an age-verification app to enforce these protections without compromising user privacy. The efforts underscore growing frustration with the addictive nature of social media and the inadequacy of existing legislation to safeguard children effectively.