The Dutch government has endorsed a proposal to establish a European Union-wide minimum age for social media use, aiming to unify rules across member states. This initiative, also supported by Spain, was submitted to the European Commission, advocating for a minimum age of 15 for social media access, accompanied by privacy-focused age verification systems.
Digital Economy Minister Willemijn Aerdts emphasized that the safety standards in the online world should mirror those in the physical realm, underscoring the importance of protecting children from potential online risks. The European Commission plans to address these concerns in its upcoming digital policy discussions, where proposals on safeguarding children from social media-related dangers will be presented.
This move comes as various countries implement their own social media age restrictions. Australia set a precedent by barring users under 16 from major platforms in December 2025. Similarly, France recently enacted a ban for users younger than 15, and the UK has unveiled plans to impose restrictions for those under 16 starting in 2027.
However, the proposed age verification measures have sparked privacy concerns. Critics worry about the effectiveness and potential invasiveness of such systems. Earlier this year, the European Commission introduced an age-checking application, which was quickly shown to have vulnerabilities by a security researcher. This led to the commission releasing a security update to address the issue.