EU, towards banning social networks for young people - Initiative will face obstacles, requires agreement among 27 countries
If young Europeans are soon to be excluded from social media, they will have Ursula von der Leyen to thank. Monday is expected to bring a key step in the European Commission president's well-orchestrated bid to approve an EU-wide social media ban for young people, after a report on the dangers of social media for minors is published.
Von der Leyen has brought together child psychiatrist Jörg Fegert, social epidemiologist Maria Melchior and dozens of other experts to tell the EU how to better protect children from online harm. However, the publication of their report on Monday is not intended to convince von der Leyen that action is needed, nor that age restrictions are a good idea. As a doctor and parent of seven adult children, von der Leyen has already expressed her concern that social media is bad for young people and said some kind of restrictions are needed across the EU.
Von der Leyen could unveil plans for EU-wide age restrictions in September. An EU official said the report, due to be published on Monday, was a way to convince any sceptical governments. It is von der Leyen's latest step to take a personal role in ensuring Europe follows the global movement towards banning social media.
Australia became the first country to impose age restrictions on social media platforms in December 2025. Indonesia began implementing the ban in March, while Malaysia followed suit in June. Turkey's parliament has also passed a bill. France is further behind EU countries, while the United Kingdom is making progress.
An EU-wide ban requires a much more difficult balancing act among the 27 countries. Von der Leyen raised the issue in last year's State of the European Union address, an annual tradition where she sets out the EU executive's policy objectives.
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