From dangerous diet advice to misinformation, cyberbullying to hate, excess content online for children grows every day. But several European countries have had enough and now they want to limit the access of minors to social networks.
The European Union already has some of the strictest digital rules in the world to control the great technology, with multiple current probes on how platforms protect children, or not.
Now there are demands for the EU to go further, since a growing body of evidence shows the negative effects of social networks on the mental and physical health of children.
Backed by France and Spain, Greece has headed a proposal on how the EU should limit the use of online children’s platforms as fears increase their addictive nature.
They had to discuss the plan on Friday with EU counterparts in Luxembourg.
The proposal includes establishing a digital adulthood in the EU of 27 countries, which means that children will not be able to access social networks without parents’ consent.
France, Greece and Denmark believe that there should be a prohibition in social networks for children under 15, while Spain has suggested a prohibition for children under 16.
Australia has banned social networks for children under 16, who will enter into force at the end of this year, while New Zealand and Norway are also considering a similar prohibition.
‘Better protect children’
France has led the way to take energetic measures against platforms, approving a 2023 law that requires them to obtain the consent of parents for users under 15 years.
But the measure has not received the green light from the EU that must enter into force.
France also gradually introduced the requirements this year for all adult websites for users to confirm their age to prevent children from accessing pornography, with three main platforms that darken this week in anger by move.
Also under the pressure of the French government, Tiktok prohibited the hashtag for “#skinnytok” on Sunday, part of a trend that promotes extreme thinness on the platform.
“We have an opportunity that should not be lost, and that is what I also told the European Commission today, the age verification is possible,” French digital minister Clara Chappaz told reporters.
He pointed out “in Progreso” in France for adult websites. “We want the same for social networks.”
Chappaz added that although the countries that pushed the proposal were not aligned in the age of a prohibition, all agreed to enforce age correctly.
The concern is that children of only seven or eight can easily create an account on social media platforms despite a minimum age of 13 years, giving a false birth date, he said in Luxembourg.
His Danish counterpart Caroline Stage Olsen emphasized that children should be as protected online as in the real world.
“We need to do something to make sure they are better protected than they are today,” he added.
Built -Age Verification
France, Greece and Spain expressed concern about the algorithmic design of digital platforms that increase the exposure of children to addictive and harmful content, with the risk of worsening anxiety, depression and self -esteem problems.
The proposal also blames at excessive screen time at an early age for hindering the development of critical and relationship relationships.
They demand “an application throughout the EU that supports parents control mechanisms, allows the proper verification of age and limits the use of certain applications by minors.”
The objective would be that devices such as smartphones have an incorporated age verification.
The European Commission, the EU digital guard dog, wants to launch an age verification application next month, insisting that it can be done without revealing personal data.
The EU last month published drafts of guidelines for platforms to protect minors, end once a public consultation ends this month, including the configuration of children’s accounts in private by default, and facilitating users to block and silence.
These guidelines are not binding, but the block is squeezing in other ways.
He is currently investigating Facebook and Meta Instagram, and Tiktok under his gigantic content moderation law, the Digital Services Law (DSA), fearing that platforms do not do enough to prevent children from accessing harmful content.
And last week, he launched an investigation into four pornographic platforms during suspicions that are not preventing children from accessing adult content.
