The European Commission may propose legislation this summer to restrict minors' access to social media, announced its President, Ursula von der Leyen, during a conference in Copenhagen on Tuesday.
Von der Leyen has tasked a group of experts with delivering recommendations by summer on how to better protect children online.
She hinted that the introduction of delayed access to social media platforms could be considered, dependent on the group’s findings.
Discussions about setting a minimum age for social media access are gaining momentum, according to von der Leyen.
She noted that virtually all EU Member States are calling for an evaluation of this requirement, with at least ten actively supporting the idea of introducing a threshold.
She did not specify how such restrictions might be implemented, as opinions among member states vary. Last year, the European Parliament advocated for a minimum age of 16 years, with access allowed at 13 if parental consent is given.
Australia has already established a minimum social media age of 16, von der Leyen said, and this measure has significantly reduced the number of children and adolescents creating accounts. However, she warned that some platforms still encourage youngsters to bypass safety measures.
"If we delay, an entire generation of children will bear the consequences," she stated. "Let us stay focused on our goal and establish clear rules to regulate delayed access to social media in Europe."
