An expert panel has urged the EU to make technology companies prove their platforms are safe before allowing under-13s access to “social media plus” services.
The European Commission will consider proposing an EU-wide restriction on access to “social media plus” services for children under 13, following recommendations from an expert panel whose findings will inform legislative proposals expected this autumn.
The panel argues that technology companies, rather than parents, regulators or children, should have to demonstrate that their services are safe before they can be made available to younger users. It recommends restricting access for under-13s across the EU, while allowing member states to introduce higher age limits for older teenagers if they choose.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the executive would carefully read it, discuss it in the College, and make a proposal after the summer. She said that she found the panel’s phased approach “very convincing”…
