EU must go beyond ‘binary yes or no ban’ on social media, top official says

Decisionmakers tell POLITICO that social media ban for kids is ‘not the simple route.’

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BRUSSELS — An EU ban on social media for kids is coming, but measures must go beyond a simple ban-or-no-ban approach, a top official told POLITICO.

Calls for age restrictions on social media are growing as countries explore ways to protect minors’ well-being online. France, Greece, Spain and Cyprus are moving forward with national legislation, citing risks to children’s mental health and development, while the Commission is waiting on the recommendation of a panel of experts expected in July.

“If you read the political debate ... some form of ban” is coming, the European Commission’s digital department’s head of minors protection, Martin Harris-Hess, said at POLITICO’s AI & Tech Week in Brussels. But the EU’s efforts must extend beyond a simple “binary yes or no ban” and instead focus on making the online space safer for all minors, said Harris-Hess.