The European Parliament agreed on Wednesday to a The proposal seeks a default minimum age of 16 years to access social media platformsArguing that this would ensure “age-appropriate online interaction”.
The move comes amid a growing debate in the EU over how to protect minors from harmful content and addictive digital features.
What decision did the MPs take on social media for minors?
A draft of the measure released in October urged “establishing a harmonized European digital age limit of 16 as the default threshold under which access to online social media platforms should not be allowed unless parents or guardians have otherwise authorized their children.”
MPs adopted the non-legislative report with 483 votes in favour, 92 against and 86 abstentions.
They also recommended setting a harmonized EU digital age limit of 13, under which no minor would be allowed to access social media. The same minimum age will apply to video-sharing platforms and so-called “AI companions”, whose popularity among teenagers has raised concerns in several EU states.
The resolution is not legally binding and does not create or change policy. Any future legislation would require a full proposal from the European Commission, followed by negotiations with EU governments and the European Parliament.
Proponents say higher digital age limits could reduce exposure to harmful content and limit addictive design features. Critics argue that enforcement would be difficult and could motivate children to avoid age checks. The commission has not indicated whether it plans to pursue the proposal.
Most major platforms – including TikTok, Facebook and Snapchat – require the number of users to be at least 13. Child-protection groups say safeguards are weak, and data from several European countries shows large numbers of accounts are owned by children under 13.
What are the rules on social media for children in different countries?
From 2018, kids belgium Must be at least 13 to create an account without parental permission.
In FranceA 2023 law would require parental consent for people under 15 to open social-media accounts, although enforcement has been delayed due to technical issues. In 2024, the Macron-commissioned panel recommended stricter rules – including banning smartphones for children under 11 and restricting internet-enabled phones to children under 13.
Germany has decided that children aged 13 to 16 can use social media only with parental consent. Child-protection advocates say enforcement is inadequate and call for better enforcement.
children under 14 years of age Italy Parental permission is required to create a social media account; Beyond 14, no consent is required.
Netherlands There is no legal minimum age for social-media use, but from January 2024 mobile phones are banned in classrooms to reduce distractions, with exceptions for digital learning, medical needs or disabilities.
In October 2024, norway Proposal to raise the age of consent from 13 to 15 for social-media terms. Parents will still be allowed to approve access for younger children. According to officials, half of Norway’s nine-year-olds already use some form of social media.
earlier this month, denmarkThe government of India has reached an agreement to impose a minimum age requirement of 15 years on some social media platforms.
away from the eu AustraliaAccording to a law passed in November 2024, platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok will have to block minors under 13 from logging in. Violations could result in fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32.1 million). Enforcement methods have been testing since January, with the full ban taking effect on December 10.
In BritainThe Online Safety Act – adopted in 2023 and implemented from 2025 – mandates strict age-appropriate protections on platforms like Facebook, YouTube and TikTok. However, the UK has not introduced any clear legal age limit for minors’ social-media use.
Edited by Jennifer Cimino Gonzalez