The European Union has asked major tech platforms including Snapchat, YouTube, Apple, and Google to explain how they protect children from harmful online content, as member states weigh the possibility of introducing EU-wide restrictions on minors’ access to social media.
The move comes amid rising concern that existing digital safeguards are insufficient, despite the bloc’s tough Digital Services Act (DSA) the flagship regulation governing online safety, illegal content, and consumer protection.
Inspired by Australia’s proposed social media ban for under-16s, Brussels is now studying whether a similar approach could work across its 27 member states, after France and Spain pressed for tighter limits on minors’ access to digital platforms.
Under “investigative actions” launched through the DSA, the European Commission has sent a formal request for information to Snapchat, demanding details on how it prevents children under 13 from using the app. The Commission also asked Apple’s App Store and Google Play to outline what measures they take to stop children from downloading illegal or harmful apps such as gambling services, sexual content, or so-called “nudify” tools used to create non-consensual sexualised images.
“Privacy, security and safety have to be ensured, and this is not always the case,” said EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen ahead of a meeting of EU ministers in Denmark. “That’s why the Commission is tightening enforcement of our rules.”
Although a request for information does not mean the law has been broken, it can lead to formal investigations or fines if companies are found to be non-compliant.
Focus on Harmful Content and Age Verification
Brussels also wants YouTube to explain how its recommender algorithm prevents harmful or inappropriate content from being promoted to minors. Meanwhile, it asked Snapchat to detail its policies for stopping the sale of drugs and vaping products through the platform a concern echoed by Danish Digital Minister Caroline Stage Olsen.
These inquiries follow ongoing EU probes into Meta’s Facebook and Instagram and TikTok, over concerns about the addictive design of their apps and their potential harm to children’s mental health.
Towards a “Digital Age of Majority”
In a broader move, EU telecoms ministers met on Friday to discuss age verification standards and the possibility of establishing a “digital age of majority” across the bloc effectively setting a minimum age for social media access.
According to a draft seen by AFP, ministers are expected to back European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plan to convene an experts’ panel to explore the feasibility of a bloc-wide age limit. Von der Leyen has voiced personal support for the initiative, saying last month that “it is time to assess what steps make sense at the EU level.”
Denmark, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, has been leading calls for stronger collective action. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced earlier this week that Denmark plans to ban social media use for children under 15.
France already enforces a law requiring parental consent for users under 15 a model that could influence upcoming EU-wide reforms aimed at creating a safer digital environment for children.