The European Union will ban children under the age of 13 from using social media, and will allow limited, supervised access to those up to age 15, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday.
اضافة اعلان
In her annual address before the European Parliament, von der Leyen said: "No social media platforms for under-13s, and no personal accounts for under-15s."
She added: "This means that for the age group between 13 and 15, only mini-accounts created and overseen by parents or guardians will be allowed, with limited features and time restrictions capped at one hour a day."
She continued: "As for the age group between 15 and 18, safe design will be a binding obligation on platforms."
Growing global frustration with social media has increased pressure on policymakers, amid mounting evidence pointing to the negative effects of these platforms on children's physical and mental health.
Australia became, last year, the first country to ban social media use for those under 16, triggering a wave of similar moves elsewhere.
In this context, von der Leyen affirmed before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, that the 27-nation bloc would adopt a "gradual" approach.
She said: "Each age group has its own sensitivities, and so each will have a level of protection specifically designed for it."
Platforms that violate the rules will face fines of up to 6% of their annual revenue, according to the draft legislation.
Von der Leyen said: "Europe has the ability to act. We set our own rules, not Big Tech companies."
She warned: "We don't have to accept addictive features," stressing that "platforms will have to prove that they are safe."
She added: "This isn't about whether minors can access social media, but about when and how we allow social media to access minors."
She noted that the "risks" aren't limited to children alone, explaining that "addictive design, for example, harms everyone."
She affirmed before European lawmakers that Europe needs further rules, which will be introduced this fall.
For the proposal to become law, negotiations over the final text must take place between EU capitals and the European Parliament, a process that could take months.
Resource: Al Ghad.
