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2026-09-16 17:04:10
[Urban President Ursula von der Leyen: EU Plans to Restrict Minors' Use of Social Media] On September 16, local time, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, that the EU will further strengthen protections for minors' online use and propose age-based restrictions on minors' use of digital services such as social media. Von der Leyen stated that children under 13 will not be allowed to use social media, and minors under 15 will not be allowed to have personal social media accounts. For minors aged 13 to 15, the EU plans to allow them to use "mini accounts" opened and supervised by their parents or guardians, while restricting account functions and usage time. She also stated that for minors aged 15 to 18, digital platforms will be required to fulfill "safe design" obligations. Von der Leyen emphasized that the EU "should not accept" addictive online features, nor should it accept children's continued exposure to increasingly extreme online content. She stated that the responsibility relationship between platforms and users will change in the future, requiring digital platforms to prove that their services are safe for children, rather than children and parents bearing all the risks. It is reported that the European Commission will publish the specific details of the relevant "Kids Act" on September 17. The relevant measures still need to go through procedures involving EU member states and the European Parliament before they can be finalized. (CCTV)
