European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday that a phased and gradual approach to social media access for young people is needed [1].
The proposal seeks to shield children from the influence of algorithms during critical developmental years to improve overall online safety for minors [1].
Speaking in Brussels during a presentation of an expert report on protecting children online, von der Leyen addressed a special EU panel [1]. She said that children need "time to shape their own identity, their own personality, before an algorithm shapes them instead" [1].
As part of this framework, the commission president suggested age-appropriate restrictions. This includes limiting unsupervised use of social media platforms to those who are not under 13 [2].
Von der Leyen said, "We need to consider a phased and gradual access for different age ranges" [3]. The approach aims to ensure that digital interaction evolves alongside a child's maturity, rather than exposing them to complex social dynamics too early.
Formal proposals regarding these restrictions will be presented to EU member states after the summer [4].
The initiative comes as regulators across the globe grapple with the psychological impact of short-form video content and personalized feeds on adolescent mental health. By implementing a tiered system, the EU aims to create a standardized safety net across its member nations.
“Children need "time to shape their own identity, their own personality, before an algorithm shapes them instead,"”
This proposal signals a shift toward proactive digital guardianship at the EU level, moving beyond simple content moderation toward structural access control. If adopted by member states, it could force social media companies to implement more rigorous age-verification tools and parental consent mechanisms to comply with a tiered access model.
