The European Union is navigating the complex issue of social media access for minors. Discussions center on setting minimum age limits and enhancing online safety measures.
The European Commission has declined to support a blanket ban on social media for minors across the EU. Instead, the focus is on individual member states determining their own regulations.
France, Spain, and Greece are among the countries pushing for stricter measures, prompted by concerns over online violence. They emphasize the need for robust age verification systems.
The EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) already allows countries to set minimum ages between 13 and 16. Some nations propose raising the limit to 16, while others favor 15.
The European Commission is developing a mobile app to verify user ages without compromising privacy. Pilot projects are underway in countries like Spain and Italy.
This summer, guidelines will be released to help digital platforms bolster protections for minors. These include default private profiles for teens and using AI to estimate user ages.