EU to Unveil Legislation Restricting Social Media for Children, Emphasizing Need for 'Real-World Time'

▲ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

As restricting social media access for children and adolescents becomes a global topic of discussion, the European Union (EU) has announced that it will soon unveil relevant legislation.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated during a press conference held in Brussels on July 13 (local time) that the EU plans to release a bill to restrict children's access to social media platforms after this summer.

"Our children need time in the real world," von der Leyen emphasized. "Time to play, to build friendships, and to make mistakes. They need time to form their own identity and character before algorithms do it for them."

Suggesting a strengthening of social media regulations concerning children, she added, "This is not about whether children can access social media, but rather about whether and when social media can access our children."

Her remarks come in line with a recommendation from an EU panel of experts, which advised that social media use for children under 13 should be restricted in principle, with exceptions allowed only under parental supervision or in educational environments.

Previously, Australia became the first country in the world to implement a ban on social media for those aged 16 and under in December of last year.

Since then, as related discussions have intensified across European countries, calls for the introduction of consistent measures at the EU level have grown.

Currently, several EU member states, including Spain, Greece, Austria, France, and Denmark, are pushing for measures to legally prohibit social media use for minors below a certain age.

The European Commission holds the authority to enforce regulations on major online platforms within the EU, and member states' laws must be consistent with EU law.

For this reason, action at the EU level is necessary for individual countries to introduce age restrictions on specific social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.

(Photo: Getty Images)

※