Europe Takes Step Toward Possible Social Media Ban for Children

The European Union moved closer on Monday to barring children from social media, in what would be the largest effort to date in the growing global movement to create age limits for apps like TikTok and Instagram.Experts delivered a report to the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, recommending that the European Union restrict access to social media for children under the age of 13 unless they are supervised by a parent or teacher.The report, by a child psychiatrist, Professor Jörg Fegert, and an epidemiologist, Dr.Maria Melchior, also recommended that 13- to 18-year-olds should have access only to social media platforms that have introduced safety features such as limits on infinite scrolling.

It said toddlers under the age of 3 should have no screen time at all.The recommendations are the first step toward a law that would bar children and teenagers from using certain social media sites.Ms.

von der Leyen, who appointed the panel’s members, is expected to announce the proposed law in September during the annual State of the European Union address.“It is very clear that we need age-appropriate restrictions to platforms,” Ms.von der Leyen said on Monday.

“This is not about whether children can access social media.It is about whether and when social media can access our children.”Across Europe, children now spend four to six hours a day on social media, and almost 60 percent of children have experienced emotional and psychosocial problems online, Ms.

von der Leyen said.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe....