The EU Bans Social Media For Under-13s

The European Union recently announced a ban on social media use for children under the age of 13, as part of a larger initiative outlined in von der Leyen's State of the Union speech. This policy is a key component of the EU Kids Act, which the European Commission will present in full on Thursday. Children aged 13 to 15 will not be permitted personal social media accounts but will be able to access social media through mini accounts supervised by their parents or guardians.

These accounts will have limited features and will allow for only one hour of usage per day. The EU also plans to implement safe design obligations for users up to 18 years old, with further efforts to address addictive design planned for the upcoming Digital Fairness Act later in the year. European Commission President von der Leyen expressed concern over the overwhelming power of Big Tech and emphasized the need for the EU to set its own rules regarding technology's impact on society.

The ban is expected to follow other countries in restricting children's access to social media, which has been linked to sleep loss, anxiety, self-harm, and even fatalities among European children. While 17 out of the 27 member states are currently drafting legislation to protect minors online, the EU's legislative process is expected to take until 2029.

The tiered approach aims to balance the need for regulation with the potential for judicial challenges, offering a more proportionate solution compared to strict bans in other countries. However, the measures may still pose challenges in terms of privacy infringements, particularly regarding parental monitoring. Additionally, enforcing age limits across Europe will be difficult, as children have previously found ways to bypass existing restrictions.

The EU has introduced an app to verify users are over 18 for adult-restricted sites, which could be adapted for other age groups. von der Leyen also addressed the growing unease surrounding the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and hinted at upcoming initiatives to harness AI's potential across various sectors, such as health, transport, and agriculture.