EU wants to establish 'progressive and gradual' access for minors to social networks

Flags of the European Union Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters The European Union wants to establish "progressive and gradual" access for children and adolescents to digital platforms, in order to protect them from risks, as recommended by experts in a report published this Monday (13). ?? Do you have any reporting suggestions? Send to g1 The bloc has been analyzing for months the possibility of establishing a "digital majority" similar to that adopted by Australia last year. "Childhood is an extraordinary and delicate period for brain development (...). We must consider the progressive and gradual access of different age groups" to social networks and other digital platforms that pose risks to minors, said the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. "It's not about whether children can access social media, but whether social media can access our children and when," he declared.

The head of the Commission specified that she will present a bill "after the summer". To obtain advice on the matter, Von der Leyen tasked an expert panel made up of doctors, academics, youth representatives and parents to produce a report, whose recommendations were presented on Monday. Among them are: Zero screens for babies and young children;

Prohibit children under 13 from accessing social media and other digital services, including AI assistants, except for limited periods under parental supervision or in an educational setting;

"Progressively autonomous use" of digital platforms for young people aged 13 to 18, as long as they have "essential security features", such as an effective age verification system and a design free from addictive functions;

EU countries would be free to establish national access bans beyond the age of 13;

At the age of 18, Europeans would reach "full digital adulthood". Platforms "must demonstrate that their services do not cause harm. In Europe, whoever develops a product is responsible for its safety," said Von der Leyen. "The entire ecosystem surrounding children needs to change. But we have no time to waste. Children and adolescents face serious risks right now," said Jorg Fegert, one of the panel's co-chairs, alongside the president. In recent months, the EU has stepped up pressure on social media platforms to take the physical and mental well-being of their users into account. On Friday, Brussels ordered Facebook and Instagram to modify their "addictive" functions under penalty of heavy fines, following a similar warning made to TikTok in February. In favor of safe design An increasing number of EU Member States - France, Spain, Greece, Denmark, Austria and Sweden - have adopted or are considering adopting restrictions on children's access to social media. However, the issue generates controversy within the bloc, with countries opposing the bans, such as Estonia, while others remain silent. Implementing such measures across the bloc would avoid a patchwork of national regulations and would be easier to apply to platforms, whose regulation is already largely the responsibility of Brussels in coordination with the 27 Member States. Von der Leyen said the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, will "examine national proposals very carefully." The bloc will "integrate" this work, she assured, and then develop its own proposal to "harmonize the approach and find a common solution." The European Union already has a reinforced arsenal to control technology giants and protect digital users, but Brussels announced that it is preparing new rules. EU consumer protection chief Commissioner Michael McGrath has promised that a new law, expected later this year, will offer children greater protection from addictive designs. "Digital marketplaces are designed to capture attention and influence behavior. The new standards will help ensure consumers can make informed decisions free from manipulation," McGrath told AFP.

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