Social media platforms like TikTok, Meta and X could soon face stricter rules in Europe to protect children from the addictive designs of social media. According to the European Commission, social media apps are designed to keep children glued to their screens.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that governments need to do more to protect children from the harmful effects of social media, Reuters reported. She warned that problems such as sleep loss, anxiety, depression, cyberbullying and addictive behaviour are becoming increasingly common among young users.
According to von der Leyen, these issues are not accidental. She said many social media companies build their platforms around business models that treat children’s attention as something to be monetised.
“Sleep deprivation, depression, anxiety, self-harm, addictive behaviour, cyberbullying, grooming, exploitation, suicide. Risks are multiplying fast. These risks are the reality of the digital world. They are not accidental. They are the result of business models that treat our children’s attention as a commodity,” she said.
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As per the report, the proposed law called the Digital Fairness Act is expected later this year. It is likely to target features such as endless scrolling, autoplay videos and frequent push notifications — tools commonly used by apps to keep users engaged for longer.
The law may also place tighter controls on how artificial intelligence is used on social platforms. In addition, policymakers are considering a minimum age requirement for social media access.
“The question is not whether young people should have access to social media, the question is whether social media should have access to young people,” she said.
The upcoming rules would build on the existing Digital Services Act, under which regulators are already investigating TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Officials are looking into whether TikTok’s design encourages addictive behaviour and whether Instagram and Facebook are doing enough to enforce their minimum age limit of 13 years.
Elon Musk’s X is also facing scrutiny over the use of its AI chatbot, Grok, after concerns that it was used to create inappropriate images involving women and children.
