Under EU law, member states must notify the European Commission to ensure their bills do not break the bloc's rules. Austria wanted to ban children under 14 from social media, but the EU said no.
Von der Leyen said that under her proposal “mini accounts” chaperoned by guardians would be granted to kids aged 13-15, with limits on features and the amount of time they can be accessed.
The use of apps TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat among 10-12 year olds and 13 to 15-year olds was on the rise, data from parental control app Qustodio showed.
New Zealand is set to introduce legislation banning under-16s from social media, with platforms facing hefty fines for failing to enforce age restrictions.
Several families in France have sued TikTok over teen suicides they say are linked to harmful content. Children’s advocates and parents applauded the vote.
Social media platforms will have to monitor and disable accounts created by under-15s or risk being blocked, a cabinet resolution said, giving them a 12-month transition period.
