The European Union is considering serious restrictions on minors' access to social networks. The new measures could affect tens of millions of teenagers and become one of the strictest digital reforms in the world.
The European Union is considering a ban on social networks for minors. The initiative is supported by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. According to Courthouse News, an official plan may be presented as early as July 2026.
The EU is following the example of Australia and Indonesia, which have already implemented similar bans at the national level.
The European Commission wants to "give children their childhood back"
As reported by Courthouse News, a specific action plan will be presented in mid-summer after receiving recommendations from a group of experts. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that the issue of youth safety online can no longer be ignored. She accused social networks of exploiting children and called for limiting platform access to underage users.
Which European countries are already preparing restrictions
Denmark plans to lead this movement by introducing a national ban for children under 15 years old by 2026. If a pan-European decision is made, it will become the largest in the world and will affect about 65 million teenagers under 15 or around 70 million under 16.
Which EU countries support the initiative
The following countries are actively advocating for stricter regulations:
- France
- Greece
- Austria
- Poland
- Portugal
- Spain
- Slovenia
- Belgium
- Luxembourg
- Malta
Denmark plans to introduce a national ban for children under 15 years old as early as 2026.
What has already been done to combat social networks
Currently, the Digital Services Act is already in effect in the EU, limiting platform use by children under 13 years old. However, regulators are demanding more: platforms must stop using algorithms that create "content rabbit holes" and protect the personal data of minors. In particular, Meta and TikTok have already received warnings for violating these norms and for the "addictive design" of their interfaces.
Why the initiative is criticized
Despite good intentions, the initiative has many critics. Experts warn that a complete ban may be ineffective and simply push children into the "shadow" internet, where content is even less controlled. There are also concerns about limiting freedom of speech, access to important information, and privacy violations due to mandatory identity verification.
The European Union is moving towards a digital revolution in child protection. It is expected that strict restrictions will minimize the harmful effects of algorithms on the psyche of the new generation.
In the editorial's opinion, Europe is gradually moving towards the largest attempt to regulate teenage activity online. However, the main question remains open: will strict restrictions truly protect children, or will they merely push youth to seek new ways to circumvent the bans.
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