The EU’s Child-Safety Drive Is the Latest Front in a Widening War on Free Speech, Conservative MEPs Warn

Age-checking measures, risk of VPN crackdowns, and the Digital Services Act are all part of an agenda that would endanger civil liberties, the lawmakers said.

A 14-year-old boy posing at his home near Gosford as he looks at social media on his mobile phone in New South Wales, Australia, on Oct. 24, 2025. David Gray/AFP via Getty Images

While European leaders have, in recent months, urged the adoption of digital reforms aimed at protecting child safety, critics are concerned that the proposals would endanger civil liberties.

Among proposed measures is an age verification system preventing minors under 16 years of age from using social media. In an attempt to prevent age verification workarounds, some have also suggested restricting the use of virtual private networks, or VPNs.