EU unveils plans for strict age limits on children's social media access
The European Union on Thursday presented plans for strict age limits on children's access to social media, games and AI assistants, while requiring companies to make platforms safe before minors use them. An Amnesty International researcher says the harms of social media now outweigh its benefits.
The European Union on Thursday laid out plans for strict age limits governing children's access to social media, online games and AI assistants. The proposals would also require companies to make their platforms safe before minors are allowed to use them at all.
Researcher's assessment
Speaking to France 24's Mark Owen, Lisa Dittmer, a researcher on children and young people's digital rights at Amnesty International, said that the harms of social media have come to outweigh its benefits. She argued that it is time for the EU to regulate at the design level, rather than continuing to push responsibility for children's safety onto parents.
Shifting responsibility to platforms
According to Dittmer, relying on parents to manage the risks children face online is no longer sufficient. She framed the EU's proposed approach as a shift toward requiring companies themselves to guarantee safe environments before young people can access their services, rather than treating safety as something to be managed after the fact by families.
The announcement did not specify exact age thresholds or an implementation timeline, but it signals a broader EU push to tighten oversight of the technology sector when it comes to protecting children online.
