EU announces plan to restrict social media access for children

Meanwhile, the EU has confirmed intends to restrict social media access for under-16s throughout its member states, in a bid to growth wellbeing and tackle online safety.

Key points

• The policy, formally outlined on Thursday, was additionally trailed in the EU chief's annual address to the EU Parliament on Wednesday.
• Under the intends, there would be a gradual approach to children using social media which would include banning under 13s from accessing platforms.
• She continued the legislation – called the EU Kids Act – would provide parents "the tools to help their children navigate a safer world".
• Under the act, only children aged 15 and over would be able to set up their own social media accounts.
• Some individual EU countries have already confirmed their own separate aims to restrict social media for children, including France and Spain.

Those aged 13 to 15 would only be able to access platforms for an hour per day via "mini accounts" set up through their parent or guardian's social media account.

While EU chief Ursula von der Leyen noted the move would "put parents back in the driving seat", the European Commission remarked social media businesses would need to prove their platforms were safe by design.

Von der Leyen has previously proposed a social media "delay" for children in Europe, saying in May that "the discussion regarding a minimum age for social media can no longer be ignored".

Meanwhile, the policy, formally outlined on Thursday, was additionally trailed in the EU chief's annual address to the EU Parliament on Wednesday.

In short, EU announces plan to restrict social media access for children is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.