Ursula von der Leyen calls for strong online restrictions for children: Social media is not a toy

During a press conference in Brussels, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, called for stronger protection for children online, saying that the evidence presented by the Special Panel on Children’s Safety Online should help shape future European policy.

The EU chief said that the argument for prohibiting young children from using screens and digital platforms, and that children under 13 should only be allowed to use social media under adult supervision and for limited periods, was most compelling.

Von der Leyen said that the evidence increasingly supports introducing a minimum age for social media access and suggested a phased approach for different age groups.

“Social media is not a toy! The status quo, a world where we continue to allow big tech companies unlimited access to our children, will only send another generation into more mental harm, addiction and misery.”, she said.

According to research data, young people spend between four and six hours a day in front of screens, while nearly 60% of young children have experienced emotional or psychosocial problems online.

The Commission President supported wider use of age verification technology, stressing that the debate was not about whether children should ever use social media, but whether and when social media can access our children.