European Commission Is Preparing an EU-Wide Ban on Children Using Social Media

According to sources cited by Euractiv, the initiative is expected to be announced in her annual address, scheduled for September 16.

However, the legal basis for such a ban has not yet been prepared, a European Commission source told the publication.

The key parameters of the future restrictions have also not been defined, Euractiv writes. In particular, it remains unclear what minimum age will be set for minors’ access to social media, and how authorities intend to enforce the ban. EU countries are discussing various approaches—from mandatory parental consent to the use of age-verification technologies.

The publication’s sources say the European Commission is seeking to move more quickly and establish rules for the entire European Union before national laws in member states diverge too sharply.

Australia became the first country to enshrine such a ban in law: in 2024, it barred children under 16 from using social media. More details can be found here. Britain plans to adopt similar restrictions.

Several EU countries, including France and Spain, also plan to introduce bans on children’s access to social media.