Overview
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said a proposal will come this summer after an expert panel reports, with goals that include higher minimum ages on platforms.
- She named TikTok, Meta and X and said the EU will target features such as endless scrolling, autoplay and push notifications that keep children engaged.
- The Digital Services Act puts oversight of the biggest platforms in EU hands, so a new law would either set a single minimum age or let countries set their own on a common legal base.
- Australia, which already bans accounts for under‑16s, reports 4.7 million accounts removed or restricted since December 10, 2025, yet many children still access services and regulators are probing five major platforms with potential fines up to 49.5 million Australian dollars.
- In Germany, youth leaders and state ministers advocate tamper‑resistant age checks via the EU digital ID wallet and graduated age rules, while a federal expert group plans recommendations by late June.