European Union leaders have expressed support for setting age limits for the use of social media platforms, stressing the importance of protecting children and young people from the risks that early exposure to the digital world can bring. However, they have stressed that they do not intend to transfer their national competences in this area to EU institutions in Brussels.
In the final declaration adopted during the EU summit in Brussels, the European Council underlines that:
“The European Council stresses the importance of protecting minors, including through a digital age of majority – by limiting children’s access to social media and respecting national competences.”
This stance marks an important step towards strengthening digital safety for children in Europe, at a time when the use of platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat is becoming increasingly widespread from a very early age.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been one of the leading voices in driving the continental debate on the subject. She recently called for a unified minimum age for social media use across the European Union, comparing this measure to existing regulations on tobacco and alcohol consumption.
"Just as we have restrictions to protect young people's physical health from smoking or alcohol, we need to have rules to protect their mental and emotional health from social media addiction and pressure," von der Leyen said in her speech.
She also cited the case of Australia, which was one of the first countries to adopt clear legislation on this issue. In November 2024, the Australian parliament passed a law banning access to social media platforms for children and adolescents under the age of 16, a measure that is expected to come into effect in December 2025.
According to this law, only users aged 16 and over will be able to create or maintain active accounts on the most popular social platforms, while companies that do not respect the rules will face heavy financial fines.
Meanwhile, the European Commission has confirmed that it is working on the technical and legal foundations to establish a unified European online age verification system, which will guarantee the effective implementation of restrictions without violating users' privacy.
The debate on the "digital age of majority" is expected to continue in the coming months, as EU member states will discuss the most appropriate national models for implementing restrictions, in accordance with each country's laws and social culture.
