EU officials signal shift toward social media restrictions for minors

As calls for a social media ban for children intensify within the European Union, senior officials and experts are warning that the issue must not be viewed through a simple binary lens.

A high-ranking official told Politico that while some form of social media ban for minors is likely approaching in the EU, any measures taken must move beyond a narrow “ban or no ban” framework.

The debate comes as member states increasingly explore age restrictions on social media to protect the well-being of children in digital environments. France, Greece, Spain, and Cyprus are currently advancing national legislation, citing significant risks to the mental health and development of minors.

The European Commission is awaiting recommendations from a panel of experts, expected in July.

Martin Harris-Hess, head of the unit responsible for the protection of minors at the European Commission’s digital department, stated during Politico’s AI & Tech Week in Brussels that “some kind of ban” was on its way.

However, Harris-Hess emphasized that the EU’s efforts should transcend a simple “yes or no” approach. Instead, he argued that the focus must remain on making the online environment safer for all minors.

Reflecting the growing political momentum, Harris-Hess cited a ministerial meeting held in Nicosia last week, where representatives from EU capitals reached a consensus regarding the implementation of bloc-wide restrictions.

According to the official, regardless of the form a ban might take, the fundamental question remains: “What kind of environment do we want for those who are able to use the service?”

While Harris-Hess acknowledged that a legally binding EU-wide ban is possible, he expressed reservations about the word “ban,” describing it as “emotionally charged.” He further noted that such measures would face “practical challenges,” as seen in the case of Australia.

Canberra introduced a social media ban for those under 16 last year. However, according to the Australian government’s own assessments, the move has not yet yielded meaningful changes in platform behavior or child usage patterns.

Professor Sonia Livingstone of the London School of Economics and Political Science, who chairs the Commission’s expert panel, expressed strong opposition to a blanket ban. Speaking to Politico, she argued that defining or enforcing age restrictions is far from straightforward.

“A ban sounds simple, but it is not. What are we going to ban? Which services? How will we ban them? What will we offer children after the ban? How will we know the ban is being followed? And what about the children who find workarounds? Are they not even more at risk? So, this is not a simple path,” Livingstone said.

The technical aspects of enforcing such restrictions remain unresolved. In late April, the Commission published a draft for an age verification application, but security vulnerabilities were discovered shortly thereafter. The Commission later stated that these flaws had been addressed.

EU capitals have also expressed hesitation regarding a centralized EU application for various reasons. Several countries are already developing or have launched their own proprietary age verification systems.

Livingstone noted that the EU already possesses a legal basis for protecting children online—specifically Article 28 of the Digital Services Act (DSA). She argued that there is little practical difference between enforcing existing complex rules and imposing a social media ban.

“Both of these policies essentially depend on two things,” Livingstone said. “One is effective enforcement by the Commission… The other is the effective identification of who the child is.”

Expressing her reservations about a full-scale ban, Livingstone concluded: “If the EU can solve these two problems, why would we opt for a simple solution like removing children from the digital world entirely? Why not implement a thoughtful solution that respects children’s rights and makes the online environment safer for children and everyone else?”