The European Commission is preparing to examine expert recommendations for harmonized age restrictions on social media access, a regulatory shift that could fundamentally reshape how Italian families manage screen time and digital exposure for children. A formal proposal is expected after the summer of 2026, marking a potential move from voluntary industry standards to enforceable law.
Why This Matters
• Age 13 threshold: Expert recommendations propose a ban on social media access for children under 13 years, with supervised use only between ages 3 and 12.
• Platform liability: Tech companies would bear the burden of proving their services are safe for minors, potentially reversing the current self-regulation model.
• New verification tools: A Europe-wide age verification app—privacy-focused and open-source—is in development to help parents control access.
• Italy could adopt stricter national rules, as France (15 years) and Spain (16 years) are already considering.
From Voluntary Standards to Legal Mandate
At a presentation of expert panel findings in mid-July, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen framed the issue in stark terms: "The question is not whether children can access social media, but whether and when social media can access our children." The statement reflects Brussels' growing impatience with tech platforms' failure to protect minors from algorithmic manipulation, addiction mechanisms, and harmful content.
The expert group—commissioned specifically to address online child safety—delivered recommendations that go beyond the current patchwork of regulations. While the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) allows EU member states to set digital consent ages anywhere between 13 and 16, enforcement has been inconsistent. The Digital Services Act (DSA), fully operational since February 2024, already prohibits targeted advertising to minors and mandates risk assessments for platforms accessible to children. Yet von der Leyen argued that "the status quo is no longer sustainable" and leaves platforms with "unrestricted access to minors."
The expert recommendations propose a tiered approach: no screen access for children under 3 (except for video calls or family photos), supervised digital use from 3 to 12, a hard ban on social media access for those under 13, and gradual autonomy for teens aged 13 to 18—provided platforms demonstrate they are "safe by design."
What This Means for Residents
For Italian families, the practical implications could be significant. Currently, Italy requires parental consent for minors under 14 to use social platforms, a threshold lower than Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands, which already enforce a 16-year minimum. The Italian Authority for Childhood and Adolescence has recommended keeping the GDPR consent age at 16, citing the absence of widespread digital literacy programs.
If the Commission's proposal becomes law, Italian parents may gain access to a Europe-wide age verification system designed to be straightforward and privacy-compliant. This tool would aim to shift the enforcement burden from families—who often struggle to monitor account creation—to the platforms themselves. Companies that fail to block underage users could face penalties under the DSA, which allows fines of up to 6% of global annual revenue.
The timing matters. Recent data shows that 89.3% of Italians aged 16 to 29 use social networks, and studies indicate that 85% of Italian youth between 11 and 19 maintain daily-active social profiles. Many of these accounts were created before users reached the minimum age, often with parental assistance or through falsified birthdates—a practice the proposed new rules aim to eliminate.
The Case Against Algorithmic Design
Von der Leyen's rhetoric deliberately avoided framing social media as neutral tools. "Social media are not toys," she said, invoking comparisons to driving licenses and alcohol purchase limits. "We don't hand children car keys before they're licensed, and we don't let them buy alcohol before the legal age. Similarly, we must set the age at which minors can legally access social media."
The analogy is rooted in emerging evidence. Recent research has found significant links between digital media use and psychological impacts in minors, including anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. European adolescents now spend an average of 4.5 hours online on school days and over 6 hours on weekends, with reports indicating that nearly one in three experience stress, sadness, or social exclusion tied to social media use.
The Commission has already initiated enforcement actions. In recent months, Brussels opened proceedings against TikTok for allegedly addictive design features and against Meta for failing to adequately assess risks to minors' well-being. The legal principle being tested is "safety by design," which requires platforms to build protective measures into their architecture from the outset, rather than retroactively moderating harm.
A Fragmented European Landscape
While the Commission seeks harmonization, individual member states are moving ahead with their own timelines and thresholds. France intends to ban social media for those under 15 by September 2026. Spain is targeting a 16-year minimum. Greece will restrict access for children born after 2012—effectively setting the age at 15—starting January 2027. Slovenia and Denmark are considering 15-year limits, while Portugal has advanced a bill requiring full parental consent for users between 13 and 16, with verification via the national Digital Mobile Key.
The European Parliament has called for a 16-year baseline across the bloc, with parental permission required for users aged 13 to 16. This divergence creates a regulatory puzzle for multinational platforms, which may face different compliance obligations depending on the user's location.
Global Context: From Australia to Beyond
Europe is not alone in tightening access. Australia became the first country to ban social media for those under 16 in December 2025, with platforms facing substantial fines for non-compliance. Within weeks, a significant number of accounts belonging to underage users were closed or deactivated. The United Kingdom has announced a similar 16-year ban, expected to take effect by spring 2027.
China enforces one of the world's strictest regimes, requiring real-name authentication and imposing time limits based on age: 40 minutes daily for children under 8, one hour for ages 8 to 16, and two hours for 16 to 18-year-olds. Minors are also barred from browsing between 22:00 and 06:00.
In the United States, federal law prohibits data collection from children under 13 without parental consent, but state-level rules vary widely. Florida bans social media for those under 14 and requires parental approval for 14- and 15-year-olds. Arkansas mandates age verification and parental consent for all users under 18.
Shifting the Burden of Proof
A core innovation in the European approach is the reversal of responsibility. Under the proposed framework, platforms must demonstrate that their services do not cause harm—particularly to vulnerable users—rather than waiting for regulators to prove damage. This "duty of care" standard, already embedded in the DSA, would be extended and made more specific for minors.
Von der Leyen emphasized that this is not about banning technology outright. "In Europe, we believe that parents raise our children, not predatory algorithms," she said. The expert panel echoed this, recommending that prohibitions be paired with digital literacy curricula in schools, transparency requirements for algorithmic recommendations, and restrictions on features designed to maximize engagement—such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and intermittent reward mechanisms.
Next Steps and Timeline
The Commission will now review the expert recommendations in detail and draft legislative language. A formal proposal is expected after the summer of 2026, likely in September or October. Once tabled, the proposal will enter the standard EU legislative process, requiring approval from both the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union (representing member states).
Implementation timelines will depend on the final text, but based on the DSA precedent, a phased rollout is probable. Platforms would likely receive a transition period—potentially 12 to 18 months—to build compliant age verification systems and adjust service design.
For Italy, the key question is whether Rome will adopt the Commission's baseline or pursue stricter national rules. Given the Italian Authority's recommendation to maintain the 16-year GDPR threshold and the country's history of cautious digital policy, a higher national age limit remains possible.
What Italian Parents Can Do Now
While the formal proposal is still months away, families don't need to wait for new rules to take action. Start conversations early about digital safety and social media use with children. Review existing parental controls on devices and platforms—most major apps offer privacy settings that can limit exposure and contact from strangers. Educate yourself about the platforms your children use and the features that drive engagement. Consider establishing family agreements about screen time, posting habits, and online interactions before new regulations take effect.
Practical Considerations for the Future
When new rules are implemented, several changes are likely. First, account creation processes will become more complex, requiring identity verification beyond self-reported birthdates. The Commission's app is intended to streamline this without sacrificing privacy, but rollout and adoption take time.
Second, platforms may begin age-gating features rather than blocking access entirely. For example, younger users might access certain platforms with disabled direct messaging, limited follower visibility, and no algorithmic content recommendations. This "safe by default" model is already being tested by some companies in anticipation of regulation.
Third, schools will likely expand digital citizenship education, integrating media literacy, algorithmic awareness, and online safety into standard curricula.
Finally, enforcement will rely on partnership between platforms, parents, and regulators. While platforms will bear legal responsibility, families will still need to monitor usage, set boundaries, and model healthy digital habits. The new rules aim to make that task easier and more effective.
Unanswered Questions
Several technical and political challenges remain. Age verification technologies are still evolving, balancing accuracy against privacy protection. Different verification methods each carry tradeoffs—from effectiveness to inclusivity.
Cross-border enforcement is another consideration. A child in Italy might access a platform registered in another country, subject to different national rules. The Commission's proposal aims to set baseline protections across member states, though specific implementation may vary.
Finally, there is the practical question of how families and young people will adapt to new restrictions and what role education and support will play in ensuring a smooth transition.
Von der Leyen framed the initiative as a matter of principle: establishing when and how technology companies may engage with children, rather than leaving the decision to algorithms optimized for profit. Whether that principle translates into effective, enforceable policy will depend on the details still to come—and on the willingness of member states, platforms, and families to embrace a new relationship between minors and the digital world.
