European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has stated that increasing the minimum age for social media use across the EU is under consideration, with a possible proposal as early as this summer. „I believe we must consider a social media delay,“ von der Leyen told a conference in Copenhagen focused on protecting children in the age of artificial intelligence. Based on the outcome, we might be able to draft a legal proposal this summer. Von der Leyen stated that she did not wish to anticipate the conclusions of an expert panel currently examining online child safety. Several countries, including France, have moved to increase the social media age limit to 15 or advocated for an EU-wide approach. “Childhood and early adolescence are formative years, and I believe we should give our children more time to build resilience during this vulnerable period,” von der Leyen said. The Commission president suggested the EU should follow the example of “pioneer” Australia, which has already set the minimum social media age at 16. She stressed that raising the age limit would not absolve tech companies of responsibility, and urged them to make their platforms safe “by design,” as required under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). According to von der Leyen, limiting access for certain age groups hinges on “reliable age verification,” and she pointed to the EU’s newly launched age-verification app. Despite widespread criticism over serious security flaws, she maintained in Copenhagen that the app “ticks all the boxes.”
Artificial Intelligence – POLITICO