Von der Leyen opens door to EU-wide social media ban for children

By&nbspLuca Bertuzzi

Published on 12/05/2026 - 11:15 GMT+2

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said connected Tuesday the EU could suggest a bloc-wide societal media prohibition for children arsenic aboriginal arsenic this summer, amid mounting unit from subordinate states to fortify online protections for minors.

Support for stricter controls has grown successful caller months, with France, Spain, Greece and Denmark starring calls for measures to shield children from what governments picture arsenic addictive online platforms.

“We are witnessing the lightning velocity astatine which exertion is advancing – and however it penetrates each country of puerility and adolescence,” von der Leyen told delegates astatine the European Summit connected Artificial Intelligence and Children successful Copenhagen.

Several EU countries are already pursuing nationalist legislation, though Brussels has faced unit to support a harmonised attack crossed the bloc’s azygous market.

The European Commission has established an autarkic adept sheet connected online kid information to measure imaginable measures aimed astatine tackling issues including addiction and societal anxiousness among minors.

“Without pre-empting the panel’s findings, I judge we indispensable see a societal media delay. Depending connected the results, we could travel guardant with a ineligible connection this summer,” she said.

The projected timeline could let Brussels to determination up of caller French authorities expected to travel into unit successful September. The instrumentality would necessitate platforms including Instagram and TikTok to artifact users nether the property of 15 and suspend existing accounts.

One of the main challenges for the EU has been uncovering a communal method solution for property verification. Platforms would beryllium expected to usage the strategy to guarantee lone users supra a definite property tin entree their services.

Von der Leyen said “discussions astir a minimum property for societal media tin nary longer beryllium ignored”, referring to an EU age-verification app modelled connected the bloc’s EU Digital COVID Certificate system.

While the Commission has formally recommended the app to subordinate states, respective governments person reacted cautiously. Cybersecurity experts person besides raised concerns implicit imaginable method vulnerabilities.

The EU is not unsocial successful considering tougher restrictions connected children’s societal media use. Australia and Indonesia person already introduced akin measures.

Meanwhile, Brussels has placed platforms including Instagram and Snapchat nether scrutiny nether the Digital Services Act implicit concerns they failed to support minors adequately. The bloc is besides considering banning definite addictive plan features nether the projected Digital Fairness Act.

“We each cognize that sustainable alteration does not hap overnight. But if we are dilatory and hesitant, it volition beryllium different full procreation of children that pays the price,” von der Leyen said.