EU looks to Australia in considering age restrictions on social media

Europe could soon follow Australia in restricting kids under 16 from creating social media accounts. In her annual speech to European Parliament this week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says she is watching the implementation of Australia’s age verification policy closely, and considering next steps for the EU.

“We will approach this carefully and listen to everyone,” says von der Leyen. “And in all this work we will be guided by the need to empower parents and build a safer Europe for our children.”

Her speech gets personal on the issue of online safety, and points a finger directly at “the tsunami of Big Tech flooding family homes.”

“As a mother of seven, and a grandmother of four, I feel the anxiety of parents who are doing their best to keep their children safe. These parents worry that when their children pick up a phone they could be exposed to the wide-ranging dangers, simply with a scroll. Online bullying. Adult content. Promoting self-harm. And algorithms that prey on children’s vulnerabilities with the explicit purpose of creating addictions.”

“Just as in my days – we as a society – taught our children that they could not smoke, drink and watch adult content until a certain age, I believe it is time we consider doing the same for social media.”

Having made laws for porn, regulators turn attention to social

Globally, policymakers are leaning into stiffer regulations on social media platforms. French President Emmanuel Macron has already stated his intention to restrict social platforms to users 15 and older. Governments in Denmark, Spain and the Netherlands have called for tighter restrictions. The idea has also been floated in the UK, and newly minted UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall may look to restart the discussion as she takes the helm.

Australia, meanwhile, is carrying the torch on age verification for social media, having recently set out conditions for such restrictions. The eSafety Commissioner has framed it as a delay rather than a ban, and stressed that the government will not penalize underage users who gain access to restricted platforms, or their legal guardians. Rather, the platforms themselves must take “reasonable steps” to maintain the age restriction – and could face fines for noncompliance.

Having also recently wrapped up its Age Assurance Technology Trial, Australia has laid the groundwork on legislating age assurance for social media. The EU has stated its intention to follow. One assumes the coffeemakers are about to go into overdrive at the NetChoice Litigation Center, as the legal lobby for Big Tech stares down a busy 2026.

Article Topics

age verification  |  biometric age estimation  |  biometrics  |  children  |  EU age verification  |  regulation  |  social media