Document provides that minors can access social networks from the age of 13, but only with the consent of their parents or legal guardians
The European Parliament (EP) approved this Wednesday a report that calls for a minimum age of 16 to access social networks without parental consent in the 27 countries of the European Union (EU) and mechanisms to comply with this rule.
In a plenary session in Strasbourg, France, MEPs approved with 483 votes in favor, 92 against and 86 abstentions the report that calls for greater protection for minors when accessing social networks.
The document provides that minors can access social networks from the age of 13, but only with the consent of their parents or legal guardians.
MEPs called on the European Commission to develop a digital age verification application integrated into social media access platforms and a “European digital identity card”.
According to the report approved by the EP, these age verification mechanisms must be scrupulously followed and homogeneous across the EU, to protect minors from harmful and illegal content and networks of sexual predators.
The document suggests that senior management of the main digital platforms could be held responsible for non-compliance with these rules, in particular with regard to measures to protect minors and age verification.
The European Parliament also asked the European Commission to demand a ban on addictive practices on social media and to deactivate presets on these digital platforms that create addiction, such as infinite scrolling.
Social networks like TikTok allow users to ‘scroll’ without reaching the ‘bottom’ of the platform.
At the same time, MEPs want social networks, and the companies behind these platforms, to control targeted advertising and the activity of ‘digital influencers’ – people who produce content for social networks and who receive remuneration for this, captivating users to stay longer on social networks.
The EP also calls for a ban on rewards for staying on social networks.
Platforms like Twitch, a social network for live streaming primarily of video games, reward users who stay connected with downloadable digital content for video games. Rewards are typically awarded after between one and six hours of continuous viewing.
The European Parliament also warned of the danger of the widespread use of generative artificial intelligence, particularly in digital applications that are being used to create pornographic content featuring minors, using, for example, girls’ faces digitally placed on women’s bodies, manipulating the images of children without consent.
Generative artificial intelligence is also being used to replace real social interaction and there are reported episodes of children who, after prolonged conversations with artificial intelligence systems, ended up committing acts of violence against themselves or other people.
