Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced on Wednesday the Commission's new plans to limit children's access to social media. She stated that the European Union intends to propose a new law called the 'Kids Act', aimed at protecting teenagers from online dangers.
New Age Restrictions
In her speech at the European Parliament, von der Leyen said that the Commission will present the legislative proposal on Thursday. This law will include different levels of protection depending on the age of the children. She emphasized, "No access to social media is allowed for those under 13 years old, and no personal accounts will be created for those under 15 years old."
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Limited Accounts for Teenagers
According to the proposed approach, children aged 13 to under 15 will only be able to use limited 'mini' accounts that are monitored by parents or guardians. These accounts will have restricted features and a usage time of one hour per day. For teenagers aged 15 to 18, social media platforms will be required to implement 'safe design' measures.
von der Leyen stated that this initiative arises from concerns about the impact of social media and addictive digital design on children, including sleep disruption, anxiety, bullying, and self-harm. She also added that the European Union is seeking to shift responsibility towards technology platforms.
She expressed, "We are reversing the burden of proof. Now platforms must prove to us that they are safe," and added that this issue is not only related to teenagers' access to social media but also to the conditions under which platforms can access children.
von der Leyen emphasized that Europe has the power to act and that it is the Union that should set the rules, not technology. She also noted that the EU's approach will extend beyond teenagers, as addictive digital design can also affect adults. According to her, the European Commission will propose a more comprehensive plan called the 'Digital Fairness Act' in the fall.
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