Greece Leads EU Push to Curb Children’s Social Media Use

The European Union is preparing to take a major step toward regulating children’s access to social media, with Greece emerging as a leading force behind a new proposal that could position the bloc at the forefront of global efforts to protect minors online. The initiative, which is gathering momentum in Brussels, will be discussed by EU digital ministers in early June.

Backed by influential digital leaders such as France and Spain, the Greek-led proposal aims to introduce sweeping restrictions on how children use social media platforms, responding to mounting concerns about the psychological and developmental impacts of prolonged screen time.

The effort signals a growing impatience among member states with the current pace of EU regulation and a willingness to push for stronger, more unified action.

The move comes amid a broader international reckoning on youth and digital consumption. Australia, for instance, recently announced plans to enforce a minimum age of 16 for access to certain social media services starting later this year.

Within the EU, the new proposal would go further: calling for the establishment of an EU-wide “age of digital adulthood,” below which parental consent would be required to create social media accounts. This would effectively bar automatic access for younger users to major platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.

The proposal lands at a pivotal time, as Denmark prepares to assume the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU. Copenhagen has already signaled its intention to make children’s online safety a cornerstone of its six-month leadership term.

The Danish government, which has been vocal about raising age limits for social media, is expected to lend strong support to the initiative.

A document outlining the proposal, obtained by POLITICO, frames the effort as a necessary collective response to a shared challenge. Citing the need for unified European action, the text underscores a desire among several governments to accelerate protective measures for minors and set a clear, enforceable standard across the bloc.

With the formal request for support circulated to other member states, the stage is now set for what could become a landmark shift in how Europe approaches digital childhood.