EU's Ursula von der Leyen outlines three-point EU plan for child online safety, age verification

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is pushing for stricter regulations to make social media platforms safer for children, outlining a three-pronged legislative strategy. She stressed the need for age-appropriate restrictions, asserting, "It is not about whether children can access social media. It is about when social media can access our children."

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We need age-appropriate restrictions on platforms. This is not about whether children can access social media. It is about when social media can access our children. For a safer start online for every child.

Von der Leyen's first point focuses on holding tech companies fully legally accountable for product safety, aligning with Europe's Digital Services Act (DSA). This means enforcing "safety-by-design" rules to eliminate addictive features, manipulative "dark patterns," harmful content, and unwanted contacts. "In Europe, whoever develops a product is responsible for its safety," she stated, drawing a parallel to car manufacturers. "And the very same must be true for big tech."

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In Europe, whoever develops a product is responsible for its safety. Car manufacturers must make their vehicles safe. We do not expect children to design their own seatbelts. We do not expect parents to fit airbags at home. And the very same must be true for big tech. This is why we have the Digital Services Act so that providers remove harmful features - addictive algorithms, dark patterns, harmful content, or unwanted contacts.

The second prong of the strategy addresses the timing and manner of social media's access to children. Von der Leyen advocates for robust, age-appropriate restrictions, emphasizing that "The question is no longer if children face risks online, but what can we do to give children a safer start online?"

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With our DSA, we have already taken strong action - against TikTok's addictive design, and just last week against Meta. Because the rule in Europe is safety-by-design. The platforms have a duty of care to their users, especially to their most vulnerable users. So when a young person reports a problem, providers must respond quickly and effectively. Children's rights must be taken seriously. And companies must be held accountable.

As part of the third point, the European chief championed the deployment of an EU-developed age verification app. This tool aims to empower families by providing a means to enforce boundary-enforcing power, helping to ensure children have a safer online experience from the start.

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It is clear we need age-appropriate restrictions on platforms. This is not about whether children can access social media. It is about whether and when social media can access our children. The question is no longer if children face risks online, but what can we do to give children a safer start online? And here, our age verification app is one of the tools to get it done.