Von der Leyen Backs Global Efforts to Ban Social Media for Children

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed her support for the growing global efforts to prohibit social media use for children. On Wednesday, she pledged that Europe would take action on the issue in the coming months.

Speaking at an event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, von der Leyen stated that many member states believe it is now time to establish a "digital adulthood" age for social media use.

"I am a mother of seven children and have five grandchildren. I agree with their opinion," she said during the event, which was attended by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Australia has been at the forefront of global efforts to address the harmful effects of the internet. The country recently passed a law banning children under 16 from using social media, marking the first such legislation of its kind.

Von der Leyen emphasized that the consensus is clear: before young people reach a certain age, they should not have access to harmful content such as tobacco, alcohol, or adult material. The same logic, she argued, applies to social media.

She also announced plans to establish an expert panel and engage with parents, teachers, and young people to evaluate what meaningful steps could be taken at the European level.

The European Union (EU), which consists of 27 nations, has some of the world's strictest regulations on harmful online content. Several investigations are currently underway to assess whether major social media platforms are adequately protecting children.

Countries like France, Greece, and Spain have been vocal in their calls to limit children's access to online platforms. Earlier this year, they proposed setting a "digital adulthood" age across the European Union. However, Brussels initially showed reluctance to take action on the matter.

At that time, von der Leyen's commission stated that the decision to implement such measures would depend on each individual member state and would not be imposed by the EU’s executive body.

Social media companies, including Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram), have expressed concerns over Australia's law.

Denmark, which currently holds the EU presidency, has prioritized this issue and promised to push for further action within the bloc. France has also made it a top agenda item, and earlier this year passed a law that requires parental consent for social media users under 15, even though the EU standard age limit is 13.

French lawmakers have gone a step further, calling for a "digital curfew" for teenagers aged 15 to 18, proposing that they be prohibited from using social media between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. The concern is especially high regarding platforms like TikTok, which has been criticized for hosting content that encourages suicide.

France is one of five European countries testing an app to prevent children from accessing harmful content online and verifying users' ages. Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, and Spain will customize a prototype age-verification app, which is expected to roll out in national versions within a few months.