Let's Chat About the EU Crackdown on Online Networks for Minors: A Deep Dive
Multiple European nations advocate for the prohibition of digital platforms intended for minor usage
Wanna know what's brewing in the EU? It's all about clamping down on online networks like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and more for the little ones. France, Greece, and Denmark have sounded the alarm and want these platforms to be off-limits for children under 15. This revelation came during a recent meeting of EU digital ministers in Luxembourg. They've urged the EU Commission to propose consistent rules across all EU nations.
Why the fuss, you ask? Well, age restrictions are already in place for these online networks, but there's often no actual age verification during sign-ups. According to French Digital Minister Clara Chappaz, it's a breeze for kids as young as 7 or 8 to create an account. And frankly, most of us remember how easy it was to fib about our age back in the day!
To tackle this issue, France has taken the lead and proposed making it mandatory for platforms to secure parental consent for underage users. France implemented a law for this purpose in 2023, but it's yet to gain approval from Brussels. Greece, Denmark, Spain, Slovenia, and Cyprus have jumped on the bandwagon, supporting France's drive for tighter age verification.
The concerned nations are worried about the risks minors face online, including cyberbullying, hate speech, extreme diet tips, pornographic content, and addiction. Excessive screen time can exacerbate anxiety disorders, depression, and erode children's critical thinking skills. And the current obstacle to a reliable age check? Data protection issues, of course!
The EU Commission plans to develop an app to manage personal data securely and verify whether a user is old enough to access the platform. A more radical option under consideration is the issuance of digital IDs for EU citizens, which could be stored on smartphones and automatically block platforms meant for adults.
The EU Commission is also flexing its muscles, investigating platforms like TikTok, Meta (Facebook's parent company), and porn providers Youporn, Stripchat, XVideos, and XNXX for potential child and youth protection lapses. If these companies are found guilty of not adhering to the necessary standards, they'll face hefty fines.
Sources:- ntv.de- AFP
Fascinating Facts:
- France, Greece, and Denmark have been pushing for strict age verification measures, suggesting that online platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube should only be accessible from the age of 15.
- Spain, Slovenia, and Cyprus have also shown support for more stringent age monitoring and consent requirements.
- The EU Commission is planning to launch an age verification app in July 2025 and is exploring the use of digital identities for age verification, though privacy and security concerns remain.
- The EU Commission is drafting a new policy to combat the issue of underage users on social-media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, in line with the concerns raised by France, Greece, Denmark, Spain, Slovenia, and Cyprus.
- As part of the EU policy-and-legislation, the Commission is considering the development of an app for secure personal data management and age verification, aiming to ensure that only users above a certain age can access these platforms.
- In addition to this, the EU Commission is weighing the option of issuing digital IDs for EU citizens to address data protection issues and ensure stricter age verification, which could potentially be stored on smartphones to automatically block adult-oriented sites.
