European Commission Proposes Sweeping Measures to Shield Children from Online Harms
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, the European Commission has put forth a robust proposal aimed at safeguarding children in the online realm. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, announced the initiative on Thursday, which includes a prohibition on social media access for those under 13 years of age and requires online services to develop user accounts with built-in safety features for minors.
This legislative effort follows similar actions taken by countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, China, India, Turkey, and several other EU member states. These measures stem from widespread concerns regarding the impact of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and ChatGPT on the mental well-being and safety of young users.
The challenges Australia has encountered in enforcing its pioneering law that bans social media use for individuals under 16 suggest that Europe may also face a complex and demanding path forward.
Speaking at a press conference, von der Leyen stated, “Today, our children are engaging with some of the most advanced technologies in history. Technologies that were not designed with their well-being and development in mind. The EU Kids Act will draw clear boundaries in the digital world, just as we set boundaries every day in the real world.”
The proposed legislation, which will undergo negotiations with EU member states and the European Parliament in the coming months before becoming law, stipulates that user accounts for children aged 13 to 15 will be subject to parental supervision.
Online social media, video-sharing services, online video games, AI companions, and chatbots will be subject to a list of do’s and don’ts for users under 18. These provisions include prohibitions on addictive features, reward mechanisms, and unsolicited contact from strangers.
Online social media platforms will be required to design child-safe algorithms and provide parents with easy-to-use controls and tools for blocking and muting users.
Companies that must verify user ages upon account creation through age assurance tools will face fines of up to 6% of their global annual turnover if they fail to comply with the law. They will also be required to pay a supervisory fee to fund the oversight of regulators.
