EC Chief Suggests European Union-Wide Restrictions on Children Accessing Social Media

Ursula von der Leyen raised concerns over the effect social media platforms are having on children’s mental health and social development.

Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, and Reddit applications are displayed on a mobile phone on Dec. 9, 2025. Hollie Adams/Reuters

European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen on May 12 called for more protections for minors from the “addictive design” of social media, suggesting European Union-wide age restrictions on the platforms for children.

Von der Leyen said during her keynote address at the European Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Children in Copenhagen, Denmark, that while the EU has the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act to enforce rules on tech companies, “we also know we must do more.”