The European Union is considering imposing a broad package of new restrictions on children's and teenagers' access to social media platforms, including a minimum age for use, a complete ban on certain age groups, and a gradual access system tailored to users' ages.

The proposals also include requiring social media platforms to prove that their services are safe and do not harm young users before allowing them to use them.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the Commission may introduce new legislation in the coming months after studying recommendations from an expert panel released today.

The panel recommended a gradual approach based on age group, including a complete ban on screen use for children under three, allowing supervised internet use for those under 13, and imposing additional restrictions on older teenagers.

The panel called for requiring platforms to prove the safety of their services for young users, an approach von der Leyen expressed support for.

The European Commission President clarified that the EU's executive body will review the report before presenting legislative proposals 'after the summer.' If a bill is introduced, it will need approval from the European Parliament and member states before taking effect across the EU.

This move would bolster global efforts to limit children's use of social media, joining similar initiatives and legislation in countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia.

The proposals also increase pressure on tech companies to prove the safety of their services for young users, especially after a preliminary investigation by the European Commission last week concluded that Meta may have violated the Digital Services Act because the design of Facebook and Instagram platforms may encourage addictive use.

It is worth noting that the European Union reached similar conclusions regarding the TikTok platform earlier this year.

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13 July 2026 Last updated: 13 July 2026

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