France, Spain, and Greece are reportedly pushing for bloc-wide restrictions “to protect children from harmful content”.
France, Spain, and Greece are advocating for mandatory age verification on social media platforms such as Meta’s Facebook and Elon Musk’s X, Bloomberg reported on Friday.
The proposed rules would require all internet-connected devices to be equipped with age verification technology. Digital services ministers from the three EU member states are coordinating the initiative ahead of a meeting with their counterparts from the bloc on June 6, a document cited by Bloomberg said.
The three nations reportedly argue that the “lack of proper and widespread age-verification mechanisms” makes it difficult to effectively enforce age limits. They aim to leverage the economic power of the EU’s 450 million consumers to compel tech companies to implement robust verification systems, according to the report.
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed on Tuesday his support for mandatory age verification for teenagers registering on social media platforms, stating that online networks have contributed to suffering and mental health issues among young people.
“We must protect our children,” he told TF1, adding that age verification on social networks should be imposed.
According to Bloomberg, the European Commission, along with several bloc members, is already developing pilot projects to boost parental controls and age verification. However, their efforts are being hindered by regulatory differences across EU countries and the ease with which users can access social networks from outside the bloc.
“One real ID for every social network user — that’s the only way to actually guarantee minors don’t access inappropriate content,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said earlier this year.
Among the countries that have taken measures on the issue, Australia has banned social media access for users under the age of 16. In Spain, a comparable measure has been incorporated into a legislative bill, although it is awaiting parliamentary review and does not yet have a set timeline.
In Norway, the government has announced its intention to establish a minimum age of 15 for accessing social media. However, there is currently no defined timeline or concrete implementation plan in place.
Earlier this year, 200 schools in France started testing a “digital break” that prevents students up to the age of 15 from using smartphones during school hours.
In Russia, similar restrictions went into effect in September, banning students from using their cellphones in schools, except for emergency situations involving a risk to health or to life.
Image credit: Alexander Shatov
Ah yes what a coincidence- lockstep anyone?
If our globalists here – National and Labour -think they gonna pull the wool over our eyes THINK AGAIN.
Protect the children my arse. These are the same people who forced children to take jabs they knew were PARTICULARLY harmful to young people because of myocarditis and pericarditis.
Disgusting traitors with no moral compass, they will be judged by their maker, make no mistake.
What are these globalist’s afraid of ?, anyhow take heart, the kid’s are our future, and they will find a way.
Strange that these countries are conveniently ignoring the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.
Article 13: The child shall have the right to freedom of expression, this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of the child’s choice.
Article 14: States Parties shall respect the rights and duties of the parents to provide direction to the child in the exercise of his or her right in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child.
Article 18: States Parties shall use their best efforts to ensure recognition of the principle that both parents have common responsibility for the upbringing and development of the child. Parents have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of the child. The best interests of the child will be their basic concern.
Age verification? More like id verification, what are you looking up, who are you talking too, what are you saying on your social media. Who are you associate with, where do live what is your name, what is your location when you are on the move, what are you buying, what are you selling and to whom.
Got it in one, yes this is all to do with digital ID’s. Start with kids then adults.
This has definitely nothing to do with protecting kids. You will look back on this comment and see it unfold.