European Parliament Seeks Social Media Ban for Under-16s, Citing Growing Mental Health Concerns
In a landmark move, the European parliament has passed a resolution calling for social media companies to restrict access to their platforms for users under the age of 16. The vote, which took place on Wednesday and was backed by a large majority of MEPs, sets pressure on European lawmakers to introduce legislation that would prohibit young people from using social media unless parental consent is obtained.
The move comes as growing alarm grows over the mental health risks associated with unfettered internet access for children. Experts warn that algorithms designed to keep users engaged can be "addictive" and preying on vulnerabilities, particularly among minors.
MEPs, led by Danish Social Democrat Christel Schaldemose, have long been concerned about the impact of social media on young people's mental health. Their report calls for default disabling of addictive features on internet platforms when used by minors, such as infinite scrolling, videos that automatically play, and excessive push notifications.
The European Commission has already begun studying Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s, which is set to take effect next month. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has vowed to watch the implementation of the policy closely and has spoken out against "algorithms that prey on children's vulnerabilities with the explicit purpose of creating addictions".
The US Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, has urged EU lawmakers to roll back their digital laws in exchange for lower tariffs, but MEPs have rebuffed the request, insisting that children's protections are non-negotiable.
While the resolution passed by the European parliament is not legally binding, it raises pressure on member states to introduce legislation that would restrict access to social media platforms for young people. Experts warn that this could be a crucial step in protecting minors from the mental health risks associated with social media use.
As France's President Emmanuel Macron has proposed restricting children's social media and smartphone access until they are 13, some MEPs have criticized the plan, arguing that decisions about children's access should be taken at local level. However, most lawmakers remain resolute in their commitment to protecting young people from the dangers of social media.
The European parliament's resolution will likely spark a heated debate over digital regulations and online safety in Europe.
In a landmark move, the European parliament has passed a resolution calling for social media companies to restrict access to their platforms for users under the age of 16. The vote, which took place on Wednesday and was backed by a large majority of MEPs, sets pressure on European lawmakers to introduce legislation that would prohibit young people from using social media unless parental consent is obtained.
The move comes as growing alarm grows over the mental health risks associated with unfettered internet access for children. Experts warn that algorithms designed to keep users engaged can be "addictive" and preying on vulnerabilities, particularly among minors.
MEPs, led by Danish Social Democrat Christel Schaldemose, have long been concerned about the impact of social media on young people's mental health. Their report calls for default disabling of addictive features on internet platforms when used by minors, such as infinite scrolling, videos that automatically play, and excessive push notifications.
The European Commission has already begun studying Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s, which is set to take effect next month. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has vowed to watch the implementation of the policy closely and has spoken out against "algorithms that prey on children's vulnerabilities with the explicit purpose of creating addictions".
The US Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, has urged EU lawmakers to roll back their digital laws in exchange for lower tariffs, but MEPs have rebuffed the request, insisting that children's protections are non-negotiable.
While the resolution passed by the European parliament is not legally binding, it raises pressure on member states to introduce legislation that would restrict access to social media platforms for young people. Experts warn that this could be a crucial step in protecting minors from the mental health risks associated with social media use.
As France's President Emmanuel Macron has proposed restricting children's social media and smartphone access until they are 13, some MEPs have criticized the plan, arguing that decisions about children's access should be taken at local level. However, most lawmakers remain resolute in their commitment to protecting young people from the dangers of social media.
The European parliament's resolution will likely spark a heated debate over digital regulations and online safety in Europe.
I'm like "why now?" 
Social media has been around for ages, and we've all survived just fine without it as kids 
. I mean, my parents used to play outside till the streetlights came on and still manage to do their homework just fine 
. Nowadays, everyone's got a smartphone glued to their hand 24/7 
...what's the big deal? 
We need to be more careful with our own mental health before we start telling kids they can't use social media 
.
i cant even right now!! european parliament is finally taking action on this mental health crisis 
they need to ban social media for under 16s ASAP 
i mean come on those algorithms are super addictive and it's ruining kids lives 
my fave brand @samsung needs to step up their game btw they should be working with european parliament to make these changes 
anyway can't wait to see what happens next 
i get that mental health is a major concern, but taking away our freedom online won't solve anything...or make it worse. 
all the time, but seriously, can't we just "scroll" through life without having to worry about our mental health? 
They can be super addictive! My little cousin is only 10 and already she's spending hours on her tablet watching YouTube videos... it's crazy how fast they grow up online. 
they're literally bein manipulated into spendin more time than they should be thinkin 'bout their mental health, but at the same time, can we really ban social media like that? 
what about free speech and all that jazz? I mean, I get it, kids need protection, but do we really gotta restrict 'em from the whole internet? 
. I mean, kids are growing up with these platforms at an insane rate and it's like, they're being designed to be super engaging but we know that can't be good for their mental health 
. We should be setting a global example here and showing other countries what can be done to protect young people online. And I'm glad they're not just talking about banning social media, but actually wanting to limit addictive features on platforms when kids use them.
. And don't even get me started on the push notifications - can you imagine if that was your phone ringing nonstop when you were trying to sleep?! 
.