EU Commission presents report calling for social media ban for children under 13, phased access from 2026

On Monday in Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented a report prepared by two independent experts that will shape EU policy on children and the internet. The report calls for a new legal framework to shield minors from what von der Leyen described as an online environment that harms their mental and physical health, often through addictive algorithms. The recommendations include a bloc-wide ban on social media for children under 13, with limited supervised exceptions, and age-gated access for teenagers.

The expert findings

The panel, chaired by French epidemiologist Maria Melchior and German child psychiatrist Jorg Fegert, evaluated how algorithms on major platforms (TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube) impact young users. Their review found that European teenagers now spend between four and six hours a day glued to screens, displacing outdoor play, physical activity and sleep. Over a lifetime, the report calculates, this can add up to twenty years. Around 60% of young children have already faced emotional or psychosocial problems online, including depression, anxiety, cyberbullying and exposure to harmful content. The report also warns that the widespread use of artificial intelligence tools poses new and serious threats, particularly for children from minority backgrounds, those with special educational needs, or pre-existing mental health conditions.

The question is no longer whether children face risks online, but what we can do to give them a safer start in the digital world.

Von der Leyen’s warning

Presenting the report, von der Leyen delivered a blunt message to big tech. “Social media platforms are not a toy,” she said. “A world where we continue to allow unrestricted access of big tech companies to our children will only mean condemning yet another generation to increased levels of psychological harm, addiction and unhappiness.” She insisted that education must remain the responsibility of parents, not algorithms. The Commission president also used a comparison: just as we do not hand children car keys before they have a driver’s license or let them buy alcohol before the legal age, we must set the age for social media access.

Just as we don't hand our children car keys before they have a driver's license or let them buy alcohol until they reach the legal age, we must establish the age at which they can legally access social media platforms.

Phased access model

The phased approach would prohibit all social media and AI-based services for under-13s outside of limited, supervised sessions in educational or family settings. Between 13 and 18, access would be granted only to platforms that implement robust age verification and have been certified as safe by design, meaning they must suppress addictive features such as infinite scroll and autoplay. Member states could still impose national bans above the EU baseline. Von der Leyen said the Commission will first define which platforms are “social media plus” (those whose design features are particularly unsuitable for young users) before legislating. She noted that France, Spain, Greece, Denmark, Austria and Sweden are already taking action, while Estonia remains opposed.

Childhood is a precious and delicate time for brain development. (...) children need time in the real world, to play, to make friends, to make mistakes, to build their personality, before an algorithm does it for them.

National moves and global context

The EU is not alone. Australia became the first country to ban social media for under-16s at the end of 2025, a move von der Leyen has cited as a possible model. China and India have also imposed restrictions, and the UK is considering one. Within the bloc, six countries are moving ahead with their own laws, but legal fragmentation could undermine enforcement. Von der Leyen stressed that any EU-wide age limits must be compatible with existing digital regulations, such as the Digital Services Act, to avoid a patchwork of incompatible national laws.

Next steps

The Commission is expected to publish a legislative proposal after the summer, likely during von der Leyen’s annual State of the Union speech in September. The timeline points to possible adoption before the end of 2026. The proposals will need approval from both the European Parliament and the member states. The urgency is underscored by the data: nearly 60% of Europe’s youngest children are already reporting online emotional distress, and experts warn that without intervention, a generation could grow up with higher rates of mental illness.