EU Proposes Age Limits for Social Media: Under 16s Need Parental Consent

European lawmakers have moved to tighten restrictions on social media access for young people, approving a non-binding opinion that proposes barring individuals under the age of 16 from platforms without parental consent. The move, approved on Thursday, reflects a growing wave of concern across Europe regarding the potential harms of social media on adolescent mental health, and development. The opinion also stipulates that children under 13 should be prohibited from accessing social media entirely.

This action builds on a resolution passed by the European Parliament in November 2025, calling for the establishment of age thresholds for social media access within the European Union. While the Parliament’s opinions are not legally binding, they carry significant weight and are expected to influence upcoming legislation, particularly the proposed Digital Fairness Act. The push for stricter regulations comes as several European nations, and Australia, are actively considering or implementing similar measures.

A Broader European Trend

The European Parliament’s stance is not isolated. Several countries are already taking steps to limit young people’s exposure to social media. Spain, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom have all signaled their intention to either ban social media for those under 15 or 16, or to thoroughly investigate the feasibility of such bans. Spain is moving ahead with legislation to ban minors from social media platforms unless they have parental consent, while France is also exploring similar restrictions. The Guardian reported in November that the European Commission was already studying Australia’s world-first social media ban for under-16s, which took effect in December.

Australia’s legislation, which requires age verification for social media users, serves as a potential model for the EU. The Australian law aims to protect children from harmful content and cyberbullying, and to address concerns about the addictive nature of social media platforms. The EU is now grappling with how to implement similar safeguards across its 27 member states, ensuring consistency while respecting national competencies.

The Digital Fairness Act and Beyond

The European Parliament’s opinion specifically proposes incorporating the proposed ban into the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act. This legislation is intended to address anti-competitive practices in the digital market and to ensure fairer conditions for businesses and consumers. The opinion also calls for the Act to cover practices such as targeted advertising, influencer marketing, addictive design features, and virtual currencies within video games – all areas identified as potentially harmful to young people.

The Digital Fairness Act is one of two legislative acts the European Commission is planning to propose next year that will focus on protecting minors online. The other is a review of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. The Commission is tasked with translating the Parliament’s opinion into concrete legislative proposals, a process that will likely involve extensive negotiations with member states.

Concerns and Divisions

The move to restrict social media access has not been without opposition. According to Politico, the bulk of votes against and abstentions came from political groups on the right, who argue that the report oversteps the boundaries of EU authority and infringes upon national sovereignty. These groups contend that decisions regarding age restrictions should be left to individual member states.

You’ll see also concerns about the practical challenges of implementing age verification systems. Ensuring accurate and privacy-respecting age checks across the EU is a complex undertaking, and there are questions about the effectiveness of different verification methods. The Parliament’s opinion emphasizes the necessitate for “effective and privacy-friendly age verification” but does not specify which technologies or approaches should be used.

The Role of Tech CEOs and Platform Accountability

A particularly noteworthy aspect of the European Parliament’s opinion is the call for increased accountability of social media companies and their CEOs. Parliament members want the EU to hold tech leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk personally liable if their platforms consistently violate EU provisions designed to protect minors online. This proposal, initially put forward by Hungarian MEP Dóra Dávid, a member of the center-right European People’s Party, represents a significant escalation in the effort to hold tech companies responsible for the content and practices on their platforms.

This push for personal liability reflects growing frustration with the perceived lack of effective self-regulation by social media companies. Lawmakers argue that financial penalties alone are insufficient to deter harmful practices and that holding individual executives accountable is necessary to incentivize greater responsibility.

Underlying Risks and the Commission’s Perspective

The impetus for these measures stems from mounting evidence of the negative impacts of social media on young people’s mental health and well-being. Concerns include increased rates of anxiety, depression, body image issues, and cyberbullying. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, has described a “tsunami of tech flooding homes” and warned against “algorithms that prey on children’s vulnerabilities with the explicit purpose of creating addictions.”

The Commission acknowledges the need for a comprehensive strategy to protect children online, encompassing safety-by-design, algorithmic transparency, data minimization, mental health prevention, and digital literacy. Von der Leyen has promised a panel of experts to advise on the best approach, signaling the Commission’s commitment to addressing this issue.

What to Expect in the Coming Months

The European Commission is expected to present its legislative proposals for the Digital Fairness Act and the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive in 2026. These proposals will likely incorporate the recommendations outlined in the European Parliament’s opinion, including the proposed age restrictions and the call for increased accountability of tech CEOs. The proposals will then be subject to negotiations with the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union (representing the member states).

The negotiation process is likely to be complex and contentious, given the differing views among member states and the strong lobbying efforts of the tech industry. The final outcome will depend on the ability of the various stakeholders to reach a compromise that balances the need to protect children with the principles of freedom of expression and innovation. The timeline for the adoption of new legislation is uncertain, but it is likely to take at least 18-24 months for the process to be completed.

The EU’s actions are being closely watched by other countries around the world, as policymakers grapple with the challenges of regulating social media and protecting young people online. The outcome of this process could have significant implications for the future of the internet and the way children interact with digital technologies.