Children should have "phased and gradual access" to social media, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Monday, as experts recommended under 13s only use online platforms under supervision.
The European Union has been mulling a social media ban since a push by EU states, including Greece and France, for limiting access, with pressure intensifying for a bloc-wide ban like Australia.
To help the EU take decisions based on evidence, von der Leyen tasked an expert panel of doctors, academics, youth representatives and parents to advise the bloc. They delivered their recommendations Monday.
"What we already have is a consensus that there needs to be a start date for the age children can join social media," von der Leyen said, calling for "age-appropriate restrictions".
"This is not about whether children can access social media. It is about whether and when social media can access our children," she said.
