EU mulls social media limits for children, eyes Australia's rules for guidance

The European Commission is weighing restrictions on social media access for children under 16, aligning with growing international scrutiny of digital platforms.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced plans to assemble a panel to examine possible measures by the end of the year, as Europe looks to follow developments in Australia, where similar rules will be enforced from 10 December.

The move reflects a broader trend of governments worldwide adopting stronger online age checks, aiming to limit children’s exposure to harmful content and features that encourage longer screen time.

EU reviews child safety rules for social media

Ursula von der Leyen addressed the issue in her annual State of the Union speech on Wednesday.

She noted that societies already set minimum ages for activities such as smoking, drinking, and watching adult content, and said it was time to consider similar protections for digital platforms.

The European Commission will draw insights from Australia’s rollout and will review proposals submitted by member states.

According to Bloomberg, France, Spain, and Greece have already called for mandatory EU-wide age restrictions on social networks.

At present, major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube require users to be at least 13 years old to create an account, but enforcement varies, and age checks remain limited.

Global push for stronger online age checks

Governments worldwide have stepped up efforts to strengthen protections for children online.

In July, the UK introduced mandatory age verification for adult content and pornography websites, ensuring users are at least 18 years old.

Ireland followed with similar requirements for video-sharing platforms, while the US Supreme Court cleared the way for individual states to mandate age checks for porn sites.

Australia’s policy, set to take effect on 10 December, will apply to major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, and YouTube.

The government there has said the primary aim is to safeguard children from excessive exposure to harmful or addictive online features.

Tech companies resist restrictions

The proposals in Australia have faced opposition from technology companies, which argue that reliable enforcement of age restrictions is difficult.

However, a government-funded trial conducted earlier this year found no major technological barriers to implementing such checks.

In Europe, representatives for Google, Meta, TikTok, and X did not immediately respond to requests for comment following von der Leyen’s announcement.

Despite resistance from the industry, governments continue to advance measures that could set new global standards for regulating children’s digital access.

Next steps for Europe

The European Commission’s panel is expected to deliver recommendations before the end of the year, shaping the EU’s approach to children’s online safety.

While the details remain under discussion, the bloc’s alignment with Australia signals that stricter rules could be on the horizon for social media companies operating in Europe.

The discussions reflect growing consensus among policymakers that existing protections are insufficient in an environment where children are increasingly exposed to risks through online platforms.

The outcome of Australia’s enforcement in December will likely provide a critical reference point for Europe’s own regulatory strategy.