Netherlands and Spain Push for European Union-Wide Social Media Age Limit Initiative

To protect children against online risks in European countries, the Netherlands is cooperating with Spain to introduce a common social media age limit across the European Union.

Search for a Joint Regulation

There is no common minimum age limit for social media use across the European Union, a situation that is debated in terms of protecting children.

Willemijn Aerdts, Dutch State Secretary for Digital Economy, stated that the Amsterdam administration supports a common age limit.

Children's Health and Rights

It is argued that young people are exposed to content that negatively affects their health and spend excessive time on platforms.

It is emphasized that new measures should be evaluated in a way that protects privacy and does not violate fundamental rights such as freedom of expression.

Possible Age Limit Targets

The ruling coalition in the Netherlands supports setting 15 as the mandatory minimum age limit across Europe.

Although the document prepared jointly with Spain does not include a specific age figure, the Netherlands maintains this position.

European Commission Steps

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that she would present a detailed proposal to strengthen the online protection of children.

An advisory committee within the Commission had previously recommended that children under 13 should not use social media without supervision.