Children under 16 should not be allowed access to social media without parental or guardian-level authorisation, the European Parliament notes in a resolution passed on November 26.
Besides social media, the European Parliament also suggests the same age limit for video-sharing platforms and AI companions that present risks to minors. Further, it calls for a “harmonised European digital age limit of 13, under which no minor can access social media platforms; calls on the panel of experts commissioned by [EU Commission] President von der Leyen to assess, as part of their mandate, the application of an age limit of 13 for video-sharing services and AI companions; stresses that this would serve as a protective measure to support parents in managing their children’s digital presence and ensuring age-appropriate online engagement.”
The November 26 resolution calls on the European Commission to consider introducing personal liability for senior management of digital platforms in cases where there is serious and persistent non-compliance with protection provisions concerning minors. It suggests that this would ensure better platform-level compliance. While platforms roll out age assurance mechanisms, the resolution calls on them to make their services safer for minors and the rest of society.
The resolution mentions that one in four children shows signs of problematic smartphone use, mirroring signs of addiction. “Research shows that habitual checking of social media in teenagers may be associated with changes in neural sensitivity as regards anticipation of social rewards and punishments,” the resolution specifies. It adds that research also indicates that excessive social media use can impact the brain development and brain capacity of minors, with correlations between excessive social media use and lack of impulse control.
Key points from the resolution:
Need for uniform age verification norms:
The resolution mentioned the fragmented approach to age assurance (age verification, age estimation and self-declaration) measures across the EU. It called upon the EU Commission to present (if necessary) legislative measures “to provide legal certainty and ensure a harmonised approach for safe and reliable age assurance mechanisms.”
Acknowledging the unintended consequences of age assurance on the freedom of a child, the resolution calls for a thorough assessment of age verification mechanisms against their impact on fundamental rights. It states that age assurance methods must avoid enshrining surveillance practices and ensure that “any solutions proposed prioritise the most effective and privacy-preserving measures and are adopted only where strictly necessary, proportionate and accompanied by robust safeguards.”
The resolution highlights the EU Digital Identity (eID) Wallet, saying that it fulfils the objectives of being easy to use, safe and privacy-preserving by default. It calls on the European…
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