Europe planning to block social networks for those under 15, says Politico

The European Union would become a world leader in stopping kids from using social media under a new proposal gaining traction in Brussels, Politico writes.

The proposal, which is being spearheaded by Greece and already has the support of digital frontrunners France and Spain, would see the EU set new rules to massively curb children’s social media use amid growing concerns about the impacts of spending too much time online.

The issue has gained increased attention worldwide after Australia moved to set a minimum age of 16 for signing up to accounts with certain social media sites as of later this year.

According to a document obtained by Politico, countries want Brussels to go further by establishing an EU-wide age of digital adulthood, below which minors would need parental consent to log onto social media — meaning that kids couldn’t automatically access any of the most popular apps such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat.

The proposal is set to be discussed by EU digital ministers at a meeting in early June. It comes as Denmark prepares to take over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU for a six-month stint in which Copenhagen has already committed to action in Brussels.

“Protection of our children online will be a key priority for the upcoming Danish EU presidency,” Denmark’s Minister of Digital Affairs Caroline Stage Olsen said in a statement. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has also previously said she supports a ban on social media for under-15s.

The proposal says protecting minors from online harms and risks “demands collective action at the European level.”

The document proposes that age verification happen at the level of devices, which companies like Apple and Google will likely object to.