Von der Leyen: Social networks are depriving children of their childhood
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed banning children under the age of 13 from using social media, and preventing those under 15 from opening independent accounts. Under the new rules, platforms will be required to prove that their services are safe for minors.
Von der Leyen: Social networks are depriving children of their childhood
In her annual "State of the Union" address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on September 16, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced new plans aimed at strictly limiting children's use of social networks.
Von der Leyen said that in the European Union, children under 13 should be banned from using social networks, while those under 15 should not be able to open personal accounts. It is planned that teenagers aged 13 to 15 will be given limited access only through special "mini-accounts" opened and monitored by a parent or guardian.
In such accounts, certain functions of the platform will be restricted, and a limit will be placed on usage time. In her speech, Von der Leyen also mentioned a plan to limit this time to one hour per day. For users aged 15 to 18, platforms will have to operate on the principle of "safe design."
The President of the European Commission explained these measures by the increasing amount of time children spend online. According to her, young Europeans spend an average of 4–6 hours a day in front of screens, and social media algorithms are designed to keep them on the platform for as long as possible.
Von der Leyen called this process "capturing the attention, focus, and minds" of children, saying that social networks are depriving them of their childhood. She also drew attention to risks such as sleep disorders, anxiety, and online bullying.
The President of the European Commission also emphasized the need to take measures against addictive mechanisms and algorithms on platforms.
"We do not have to accept addictive features. Nor do we have to tolerate children being drawn into increasingly extreme content," Von der Leyen said.
One of the important aspects of the new approach is strengthening the responsibility of platforms. While the current model expects children and parents to take measures to protect themselves from risks, the European Commission proposes to change this logic. That is, the platform itself will now have to prove that the social network is safe for children.
"This is not about minors accessing social networks. This is about when and how we allow social networks to access minors," Von der Leyen said.