The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will present on Wednesday, during the State of the Union address, a proposal to protect children from risks associated with social media and other digital services. The European Commission intends to thus strengthen the regulation regarding the use of digital platforms by minors.
Ursula von der Leyen publicly advocated for the need for this measure through a post on social media. In the message, she stated that "we do not have to accept childhoods shaped by algorithms" and that "we do not have to accept a system that fails our children." The president also highlighted that "Europe has the power to act, to give children the time they need in the real world."
The proposal comes in a context of growing concern about the negative effects of social media and digital services on the development of children and young people. The European Commission thus intends to establish stricter rules to protect minors from harmful content and aggressive commercial practices on digital platforms.
