EU Parliament Pushes for Minimum Age Limit on Social Media Use
The European Parliament has adopted a proposal calling for the introduction of a minimum age limit for social-media use. According to a briefing from Brussels on Wednesday, the proposal seeks to set a default minimum age of 16 to ensure safe and age-appropriate online experiences for children and adolescents. The news was reported by Reuters.
The draft proposal in October stated that a harmonized digital age limit is needed across Europe, under which anyone under the age of 16 would be restricted from accessing social-media platforms without parental or guardian consent. It also strongly emphasized that no child under the age of 13 should be allowed to use social-media platforms at all.
At the same time, the proposal calls for setting a minimum age of 13 for the use of video-sharing platforms and artificial-intelligence–based virtual companions, also known as “AI companions.”
However, the proposal is not legally binding and does not directly set policy. Nevertheless, it contributes significant guidance to ongoing discussions across Europe concerning children's online safety.
DBTech/BMT/OR
