Soziale Netzwerke: Kinder sollen wieder Kinder sein, sagt die EU-Kommissionspräsidentin Ursula von der Leyen

The European Union's Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has proposed strict age-based rules for social media use among minors in the EU. This proposed law differs significantly from the United States' approach to dealing with the platforms. A new law is being developed in Brussels that could become another "bureaucratic monster."

While few dispute that social media platforms make minors addicted, the EU is responding to these risks with a detailed law (the "Kids Act") whose implementation could become complex. Parents may need to pin the key points of this law on their fridge. The EU President claims that minors have different emotional responses based on their age.

The EU is also directly challenging the business strategies of Tiktok, Instagram, and Facebook, which profit from users spending more time on their platforms. The Commission is also demanding stricter rules from the platforms, which must now prove in reports that they do not endanger users' well-being. Failure to comply could result in EU proceedings lasting up to 90 days, with the possibility of blocking a platform's service.

The proposed legislation is far-reaching, but the EU appears to be more a driver than a shaper. Von der Leyen initially had no interest in age limits for social media; two developments changed her mind. First, increasing research is showing the risks social media pose to young users, including depression, anxiety, and even suicide.

Second, almost all EU member countries have recently introduced their own laws with age limits ranging from 13 to 16 years. These differences are absurd given the cross-border nature of the medium. As the guardian of the single market, the EU was forced to step in and coordinate the varying national laws. Now, the EU countries (Council) and Parliament must deal with the Kids Act.

The Council is less likely to oppose it fundamentally, as only Estonia, a small country, argues against strict regulation, preferring to leave it to parents and schools. Even among liberals in the EU Parliament, Svenja Hahn of the German FDP says the Kids Act is "an unreasonable invasion of families' private lives." However, this view is a minority.

The EU feared that taking action against tech companies could anger the American government, but in the U.S., a shift in attitude has occurred. Several states have sued Meta over endangering minors, and the company has agreed to pay up to 18 billion dollars, including a nighttime curfew for users under 18. The EU, however, takes a gentler approach than the U.S. justice system.