EU To Propose Law Restricting Social Media Access For Children

The European Union will propose a new law on Thursday to protect children from the harmful effects of social media, a day after EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to announce an age limit for minors accessing such platforms.

After more than a year of discussions and pressure from member states, including France and Greece, as well as parents across the 27-country bloc, von der Leyen will address the issue in a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The proposed “EU Kids Act” will be presented on Thursday by von der Leyen and EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen in Brussels, spokesman Olof Gill told reporters.

Von der Leyen is expected to say that social media platforms used by children should be “safe by design”, meaning they should not be addictive and should have features that encourage excessive use removed.

She has also been considering banning social media access entirely for children under 13, as recommended by an expert panel, or under 15, as proposed by France.

Australia became the first country in the world to ban social media for children under 16, amid growing concerns among governments and experts over the negative impact of social media on children’s mental and physical health, with multiple studies highlighting the risks.

In June 2026, the United Arab Emirates announced a social media ban for children under 15, joining a growing group of countries, including Australia, Britain and Canada, taking similar measures.

Under the UAE measure, social media platforms will be required to monitor and disable accounts created by children under 15 or risk being blocked, with platforms given a 12-month transition period.

The official WAM news agency, citing the cabinet resolution, said the measure sets the minimum age for social media use at 15, prohibiting children below that age from creating, using or operating personal social media accounts.