European Commission Investigates Social Media Ban for Children

ILLUSTRATION UNSPLASH/Antoine Schibler

JAKARTA - The European Commission will announce a proposal on the use of social media by children in the European Union in September.

According to a report by Euractiv, Thursday, July 2, citing several EU officials and diplomats, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the proposal during her annual "State of the Union" speech on September 16 in Strasbourg, France.

As reported by ANTARA from Sputnik, European Commission officials have warned the governments of EU member states to be prepared to receive von der Leyen's official announcement regarding the initiative.

An unnamed European Commission representative said the legal basis for the ban had not been established.

However, the advisory group tasked with analyzing measures to protect children online is scheduled to present its report on July 13, the report said.

In recent years, more and more countries have sought to limit the influence of social media on young people.

Starting December 10, 2025, the Australian Government has banned the use of the streaming platform Twitch by children under the age of 16. Australia will also expand these restrictions to other social media platforms.

Meanwhile, governments in Denmark, Spain, Greece, Turkey, France, and the UK have also announced similar plans.

On February 18, Bloomberg reported, referring to government documents, that the Irish government was also considering the possibility of imposing an age limit on social media users in the country.