European Commission Prepares Rules to Limit Children's Access to Social Media

JAKARTA - The European Commission is reportedly preparing a policy proposal that will impose restrictions on children and adolescents' access to social media across the European Union (EU).

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is scheduled to present the initial proposal as early as next week, according to a Politico report. The President of the European Commission is said to present the results of a report by experts on the impact of digital platforms on minors on July 13.

The report was prepared at the request of the European Commission and will serve as the basis for the preparation of future legislative initiatives.

Polish Minister for Digital Affairs Dariusz Standerski told Politico that the European Union had noted that 14 member states had supported the proposal.

"I believe we now have a strong majority in favor of this solution. We have also heard that some countries are dissatisfied with the proposal. However, I do not see the possibility of a minority group that can hinder this process," katana was quoted by ANTARA from Sputnik, Friday, July 10.

The proposal will contain a number of recommendations to reduce the negative impact of social media on children. However, the final details regarding the form of restrictions to be applied have not yet been determined.

One of the issues still being discussed is whether the EU will set a minimum age limit that applies throughout the region or give each member state the authority to determine their own age limit.

Brussels is seeking to create uniform rules across the EU to avoid regulatory differences between member states.

Politico also noted that France and Poland have currently developed their own policies to limit the use of social media by children under the age of 16.

The drafting of the initiative will continue throughout the summer. The European Commission is expected to submit a final proposal in September, ahead of Ursula von der Leyen's annual State of the Union address.