Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The introduction of age restrictions for social media users in the European Union is now in the final stages of development, Azernews reports.

As a result, the European Commission (EC) is prepared to allow EU member states to adopt laws regulating the "minimum age of access to certain products and services" on social networks and other online platforms.

The European Commission also intends to grant social networks the authority to independently choose their methods for verifying users' ages. Possible verification methods include requesting an identity card or bank card, which would complement the existing age assessment mechanisms already employed by these platforms.

Several European countries have already taken initiatives to restrict social media access for minors. For instance, French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed his desire to ban access to social networks for children under the age of 15. Similarly, Danish Minister of Digitalization Karoline Stage Olsen proposed comparable measures.

The upcoming meeting of the EU Ministers of Information Technology, scheduled for October 9-10 during Denmark’s EU presidency, will be entirely dedicated to the issue of protecting children online.

Studies have shown that early exposure to social media can significantly impact children’s mental health and development. This has driven many policymakers to emphasize the importance of digital literacy education alongside regulatory measures, aiming not only to restrict harmful content but also to empower young users to navigate the online world safely.