A potential EU Social Media Ban for younger users could be introduced as early as this summer, according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who has signaled growing support for stricter online age restrictions across the bloc.
Speaking at a conference in Copenhagen focused on child safety in the digital age, von der Leyen said the European Union is actively considering a “social media delay” to protect children and teenagers during their most vulnerable developmental years.
She explained that a formal legal proposal on the EU Social Media Ban could be introduced depending on the findings of an ongoing expert panel reviewing online child safety. Several EU countries, including France, have already pushed for raising the minimum age for social media access to 15 or higher.
Von der Leyen highlighted Australia as a “pioneer” in this area, noting its decision to raise the minimum age for social media use to 16. She suggested that the EU could learn from such international approaches while designing its own regulatory framework.
The proposed EU Social Media Ban would not remove responsibility from tech companies. Instead, platforms would still be required to ensure user safety “by design” under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which governs digital platforms across Europe.
A key challenge discussed is age verification. The Commission president emphasized the need for reliable systems to verify users’ ages and referenced a recently introduced EU age-verification app. However, the tool has already faced criticism over security concerns.
Despite the criticism, von der Leyen defended the initiative, stating that protecting children online requires stronger regulation and cooperation from technology companies. The proposal, if adopted, could significantly reshape how social media platforms operate across Europe.
