The European Union is preparing new measures to restrict children’s access to social media and other potentially harmful digital services, as pressure grows for stronger protections against online risks affecting minors.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has backed an EU-wide approach after a panel of experts recommended age-appropriate restrictions and stronger safeguards for children online. The Commission is expected to present its proposal on September 15, ahead of von der Leyen’s annual State of the Union address.
The planned framework is expected to establish a common approach across the 27-member bloc rather than leaving every country to develop completely different rules. Current discussions include restricting access for children below certain age thresholds, with younger children potentially receiving only limited or supervised access.
The proposal is expected to favour a graduated system rather than treating every teenager in the same way. An expert panel established by the European Commission recommended age-appropriate protections, while von der Leyen has previously indicated support for restricting social-media access for younger children.
The European Commission's wider child-safety work has identified several risks associated with children's online activity, including cyberbullying, online grooming, sexual exploitation, exposure to harmful content and addictive platform design. A Commission survey published in July found that 71 per cent of respondents were concerned about cyberbullying and harassment, while 70 per cent expressed concern about online grooming and sexual exploitation. Nearly two-thirds supported EU rules restricting children's access to social media according to age.
The proposed approach comes as European governments increasingly disagree over how far restrictions should go. France has pushed for a much tougher EU-wide ban on social media for children under 15, while other countries have favoured a more gradual system based on age and risk.
French President Emmanuel Macron formally urged von der Leyen to introduce EU legislation banning social-media access for children under 15 after France's own attempt to introduce such a restriction was rejected by the country's Constitutional Council.
The Netherlands and Spain have also called for a harmonised EU-wide minimum age, with their proposal potentially extending protections beyond social media to services such as video games and AI chatbots.
The issue has gained momentum beyond the European Union. Australia became the first country to introduce a nationwide social-media ban for children under 16, while the United Kingdom is preparing its own restrictions for under-16s that are expected to take effect in 2027. Several other countries are also considering age restrictions or additional safeguards.
However, implementing an EU-wide system presents difficult questions, particularly around age verification, privacy and enforcement. Any system that requires platforms to establish users' ages must balance child protection with the privacy rights of children and adults who use digital services.
The EU already has rules governing online platforms through the Digital Services Act, which includes obligations relating to the protection of minors. The proposed measures would therefore add to an existing regulatory framework rather than represent the bloc's first attempt to address online risks to children.
Technology companies are likely to face significant pressure under any new rules, particularly if platforms are required to demonstrate that their services are appropriate for different age groups or modify features considered addictive or harmful to younger users.
For parents, schools and child-protection advocates, the central question is whether stronger regulation can make online spaces safer without simply pushing children towards less regulated services. For the EU, the challenge will be creating rules that can be enforced consistently across 27 countries while protecting both children and fundamental digital rights.
The forthcoming Commission proposal will therefore be an important step, but it will not immediately become EU law. It will still have to go through the bloc's legislative process, where member states and the European Parliament will have an opportunity to debate, amend and approve the proposed measures.
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