New bans on the way in Europe to protect children from social media

European countries are preparing new legislative regulations including age limits and digital security measures to protect children from the potential harms of social media, block inappropriate content, and prevent excessive use.

Regulations across Europe aimed at protecting children and youth from the potential harms of social media have gained momentum. Children's exposure to inappropriate content, excessive use turning into addiction, and negative impacts on mental health form the basis of the new initiatives. With the "EU Children's Act" proposal announced on September 17, the European Commission aims to restrict features that encourage excessive use, such as "infinite scrolling," on social media platforms. The proposal includes measures such as disallowing instant notifications during sleeping hours, blocking unwanted messages from strangers, and keeping artificial intelligence chatbots turned off by default.

While Poland plans to introduce an age limit of 15 for social media access, France has prepared a bill for those under 15. The UK and Norway plan to submit legislative proposals to parliament by the end of the year that will introduce an age limit of 16. Spain will regulate access for those under 16. While Portugal does not allow access for those under 13, it is reviewing a bill that requires parental consent for the 13-15 age group. Italy has put the age limit of 15 on its agenda, and the Danish government and political parties have reached an agreement regarding an age limit of 15.