EU Moves Closer To Social Media Ban For Children Under 13

The European Union is set to move forward with plans to implement a total social media ban for children under 13, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced.

Speaking on Wednesday during her annual state of the union address in Strasbourg, von der Leyen stated that social media platforms were “depriving children of their childhood” and insisted that big tech companies must prove their products are safe.

Under the proposed plan, the commission will introduce a draft law calling for a total ban on social media for children under 13. Children aged 13 to 15 would be permitted to use “mini accounts” subject to parental supervision and strict app time limits. The official plan is scheduled for publication on Thursday and will require approval from both the European Parliament and all 27 EU member states to become law.

In her address, von der Leyen also highlighted the upcoming Digital Fairness Act, which aims to address addictive platform design features that she described as harmful to users.

Beyond digital policy, the speech outlined several continental initiatives, including a European heatwave plan and an emergency response mechanism to handle sudden migrant inflows.

Von der Leyen extended an invitation to Canada to consider becoming an associate member of the EU, while proposing the creation of a European security council involving Canada, Norway, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. She also urged EU member states to establish an “emergency security protocol” similar to NATO’s Article 4 to better coordinate responses to hybrid security threats.

Addressing international relations, von der Leyen noted that the EU may have reached the limits of its economic sanctions against Russia, emphasising that the focus should shift to enforcing existing measures. She also addressed internal divisions within the European Union regarding trade restrictions linked to illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, warning that a divided Europe loses its ability to influence global events.