The icons of Facebook, What'sApp and TikTok are seen on a smartphone screen in this illustration photo taken Oct. 27, 2025. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic)
The European Union is working on new rules to protect children from the addictive designs of social media such as TikTok, Meta and X, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday."Sleep deprivation, depression, anxiety, self-harm, addictive behavior, cyberbullying, grooming, exploitation, suicide. Risks are multiplying fast," von der Leyen said in a speech in Copenhagen.
"These risks are the reality of the digital world. They are not accidental. They are the result of business models that treat our children's attention as a commodity."
Von der Leyen said the Commission will specifically target "addictive and harmful design practices" in its Digital Fairness Act (DFA), due to be proposed towards the end of the year.
The DFA would also set strict limits on the use of artificial intelligence in social media, she said, while she advocated for a minimum age for social media access.
