To better protect children and teenagers from the dangers of social media, the European Commission will propose new legislation to restrict access to the platforms for those under 15 years old, according to a leaked proposal.
The EU's so-called 'Kids Act' will be presented on Thursday. However, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to officially confirm part of the plans during her State of the Union (SOTEU) on Wednesday.
"It is good that Europe is not opting for a blanket ban until the age of 15, but for age-appropriate protection," Flemish Minister for Media Cieltje Van Achter (N-VA) told The Brussels Times.
The European Commission will reportedly impose various restrictions for different age groups. Additionally, the rules will not only apply to social media, but also to video platforms, certain online games, and AI chatbots.
'Cautiously optimistic'
Children under 13 would only be able to open an account that is fully controlled by their parents. Those between 13 and 15 would be subject to limited parental supervision, and they would be unable to contact strangers via the platforms. Only from the age of 15 would children be allowed to create their own account. However, this would still only be in "an online environment that meets certain criteria".
Platforms that fail to comply with the rules would risk a fine of up to 6% of their annual global revenue.
Van Achter is "cautiously optimistic" about the initial plans for a European Kids Act, and specifically about its gradual approach, with protections for children and obligations on platforms becoming stricter depending on the child's age – closely reflecting the Flemish approach.
"This closely reflects the approach we have taken in Flanders: with 13 as a clear threshold and stricter rules for social media platforms that pose risks to minors," she said. "Young people should not have to adapt to harmful social media; social media should adapt to young people and be safe for them."
Credit: Unsplash
Van Achter also celebrated the fact that the European plans include stricter rules on addictive design and harmful content, as well as more restricted accounts for younger users.
“Responsibility must lie first and foremost with the platforms. They must tackle harmful mechanisms and create a safe environment for young people," she stressed, adding that Flanders is taking a similar approach.
At the same time, however, Van Achter still raised important questions, such as how age checks and parental supervision will work in practice while remaining workable and privacy-friendly.
"We want to protect children, not subject every internet user to Big Brother-style surveillance," she stressed.
Slot machines
Last year, Belgium's Superior Health Council already examined ways to better protect young people from the dangers of social media, at the request of Belgium's Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit).
In its advisory opinion at the time, the Council advocated restricting access to social media for young people under 13 years old. By considering an age limit of 15, the EU would now go even further.
Vooruit leader Conner Rousseau thinks this is a good idea.
"Better safe than sorry," he told VRT. "In the past, a child would watch Tik Tak (a Belgian preschool educational television series) and see sheep walking by; now they watch TikTok and see people getting shot."
Smartphone users. Credit: Unsplash
Rousseau also criticised the addictive nature of social media, stressing that no one knows exactly how the platforms' algorithms work.
"What we do know is that they work a bit like slot machines. No one would let their child sit in front of a slot machine all day, but with social media, we do allow that," he said.
Rousseau was also among several Belgian politicians emphasising that there was no need for the country to wait for the EU to take action, and pointed to the Federal Government's identity verification tool ItsMe, which could be used to enforce certain age restrictions.
"We certainly cannot let Meta handle that itself," he said. "Do you trust Meta more than your own government?"
