The debate on a possible lock of social networks for children under 16 reaches the EU

The debate on an eventual restriction of minors to social networks such as Tiktok and Instagram has been in the candlestick for a long time. Australia approved, for example, last year a law that will prohibit the use of 2.0 platforms to those under 16 in the oceanic country. And it seems that now a regulation of these characteristics within the European Union will also be discussed.

Marie Bjerrethe Danish minister of European Affairs, He has announced that his country aims to take advantage of the current presidency of the European Council to open a debate on a possible prohibition of social networks for children under 16 in the old contine. “The impact of social networks on children and their well -being is more than evident,” says Bjerre. And in his opinion, a greater regulation is needed in this area.

Denmark is not the first European country that takes a step forward to advocate a stricter regulation of social networks that prevents minors can freely access these platforms. French president Emmanuel Macron said about a month ago he was studying an eventual prohibition of social networks for children under 15 years. The Gallic president made this announcement after in the neighboring country a 14 -year -old student murdered a 31 -year -old school assistant. According to Macron, in this incident they would have played an absolutely decisive role, social networks, where the use of white weapons would be popularized among the youngest, and therefore wants to implement measures to properly protect the children of the dangers that lurk on these platforms.

How would the prohibition of social networks be applied in practice for children under 16?

In Europe there are those who fervently defend the establishment of a minimum age to access social networks and thus protect children and adolescents more effectively from dangers born in the heat of social networks. However, the opinion in this regard is far from unanimous and many unlocking an eventual prohibition.

The European Commission currently works in a uniform solution for the protection of minors in the network of networks that can fit the regulations currently in force in all EU countries. However, the community executive project will initially be limited to determining the user’s age to prevent minors can access pornographic websites or buy alcohol on the Internet.

If the EU came to approve a minimum legal age to access social networks, the most problematic point would be how the age limits to use these platforms would be implemented in practice. Even though Australia already approved in 2024 the lock of social networks for children under 16 and that veto will enter into force at the end of this year, it is still an unknown how platforms 2.0 will collect reliable information about the age of users to prevent minors can break through these channels. And, in fact, a legal and viable solution for this problem has not yet been found.