EU Proposes Social Media Ban for Under-13s, Parental Consent for Teens

The European Commission has put forward a proposal that would prohibit children under the age of 13 from using social media platforms. Under the plan, teenagers aged 13 to 15 would be permitted access only through accounts that are supervised by their parents.

To enforce these age limits, the Commission is offering an age-verification application that online platforms could adopt. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said platforms can easily rely on the app to check users' ages.

The proposal marks a significant step in the European Union's efforts to regulate how minors interact with digital services. By setting a clear minimum age and requiring parental oversight for younger teenagers, the plan aims to create a safer online environment for children.

The age-verification tool is intended to give platforms a straightforward technical means of complying with the proposed rules. The approach differs from measures taken in other jurisdictions, such as Australia, which has pursued its own methods for restricting minors' access to online services.

The proposal will now need to go through the EU's legislative process before it can take effect.