EU Parliament calls for ban on social media for young people under 16

The majority of EU parliamentarians support a social media ban for children under the age of 16. The reasons for this are the negative effects on mental health and disinformation.

Nowadays, children in Germany get their first smartphone at the age of 10 to 12, and by the age of 16, almost everyone has their own cell phone. However, a proposal in the EU Parliament that could ban social media for young people under the age of 16 has met with widespread approval.

Large majority votes in favor

The report was adopted in a non-binding vote in Strasbourg by a large majority of 483 votes in favor, 92 against, and 86 abstentions. It proposes that children and young people under the age of 16 should not have access to social media, video-sharing platforms, and AI chatbots. The EU has so far refused to amend its groundbreaking Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act legal framework, arguing that this is a matter of sovereignty.

Negative impact on teenagers' mental health

In the report, MEPs state that research shows that one in four minors has “problematic” smartphone use comparable to addiction.

Lawmakers warned against manipulative designs, such as infinite scrolling or doomscrolling. Automatic video playback and personalized recommendation algorithms also affect children's well-being, concentration, and sleep, they said.

Developing an EU age verification app

MEPs welcomed the Commission's plans to develop an EU age verification app and introduce a European digital identity wallet.

Platforms, MEPs said, are responsible for ensuring that their services are designed to be safe and suitable for younger users. The report urges stricter enforcement of existing digital rules, in particular the Digital Services Act, which includes the protection of minors online.

Considering to follow Australia’s lead

Commission President von der Leyen said during her annual State of the Union address in September that the Commission would consider following Australia's lead and banning social media for young people.

“I am closely monitoring the implementation of the Australian policy to see what next steps we can take here in Europe. I will commission a panel of experts to advise me by the end of the year on the best approach for Europe,” von der Leyen said.

Source: https://de.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/11/27/eu-parlament-verbot-soziale-medien