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Europe is moving one step closer to imposing age restrictions on social media after a panel of experts recommended blocking most children under 13 from accessing platforms unless they're supervised by a parent or teacher.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced today that the Commission will review the recommendations and present a legislative proposal "after the summer.”[1]
"It is clear we need age-appropriate restrictions to platforms," von der Leyen said during the press conference. "This is not about whether children can access social media. It is about whether and when social media can access our children."
The announcement follows the release of a report led by child psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Jörg M. Fegert and epidemiologist Dr. Maria Melchior, who were appointed by the European Commission to examine the impact of social media on children and recommend ways to improve online safety.[2]
The latest proposal adds to a growing wave of EU digital safety initiatives, coming just days after lawmakers voted to extend the bloc's controversial Chat Control rules.
The report paints a concerning picture of how young people are using digital platforms across Europe.
According to the report, children now spend between four and six hours per day on social media, with heavy use linked to sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and depression. The report argues that many of these harms are driven not only by content but also by platform design features intended to maximize engagement.
"Until they demonstrate that their services are safe by design, social media and other digital services providers should have restricted access to children under the age of 13 in the EU," the report states.
Rather than placing responsibility solely on parents, the experts argue that platforms should prove their products are safe for children before they are widely accessible.
"The burden of proof needs to be on providers, not regulators, parents and children," the report says.
The recommendations stop short of calling for a blanket social media ban for all minors.
Instead, the panel proposes:
The report also recommends that toddlers under age three avoid screen exposure altogether and encourages parents to prioritize offline activities and face-to-face interaction during early childhood.
One of the report's biggest recommendations is that social media companies — not parents or regulators — should bear the burden of proving their platforms are safe for children. To meet that standard, the panel recommends limiting features commonly used to maximize engagement, including infinite scrolling, autoplay, push notifications, and personalized recommendation algorithms for younger users.
The proposal could also affect adults by requiring stronger age verification. Despite the report recommending to avoid collecting government IDs or biometric data whenever possible, digital rights advocates like the Electronic Frontier Foundation have warned that age-check systems can still require users to share additional personal information or rely on third-party verification services before accessing certain online platforms.
If adopted, the legislation would build on a growing international movement to limit children's access to social media.
Australia became the first country to approve a nationwide minimum age of 16 for social media accounts, while the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Denmark, and several other European countries have explored similar restrictions.
In the United States, the House of Representatives just approved a package of online safety legislation for children.
Still, age restrictions alone are unlikely to solve the problem.
The report notes that early evidence from countries implementing blanket bans suggests many children find ways to bypass age checks.
At the same time, it says some minors have reduced their use of risky social media services and spent more time participating in offline activities such as sports and face-to-face interactions, suggesting social norms could gradually shift over time.
Friday's announcement does not create new rules immediately.
The European Commission will first draft legislation based on expert recommendations, then negotiate with the European Parliament and all 27 EU member states — a process that could take months or even years before any restrictions take effect.
Still, von der Leyen suggested momentum is growing as more research emerges on the effects of social media on children.
"The more we learn, and the more we see the impact on our children, the stronger the argument becomes for a social media start date," she said.
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