EU Prepares Crackdown on TikTok, Meta, and X Over Designs That Hook Children — Reuters
The European Union is developing sweeping legislative initiatives aimed at combating harmful design practices on popular social media platforms.
Reuters reports on this.
The main goal of the upcoming rules is to protect underage users from mechanisms that cause psychological addiction.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen officially announced the preparation of the Digital Fairness Act.
This document is intended to address the aggressive algorithms of TikTok, X (Twitter), and Meta’s platforms.
During a speech in Copenhagen, the head of the European Commission outlined the critical situation that has developed in the digital environment.
She emphasized that the current operating methods of online services pose a real threat to the mental health of young people.
“Sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, self-harm, addictive behavior, cyberbullying, grooming, exploitation, suicide. The risks are multiplying rapidly,” stated Ursula von der Leyen, describing the consequences of the unchecked influence of social media.
European leaders plan to reevaluate the very concept of how platforms interact with their audience.
Instead of restricting children’s access to the internet, the focus will shift to changing the internal mechanisms of the corporations themselves.
“The question is not whether young people should have access to social media, but whether social media should have access to young people,” the European Commission President emphasized in her speech.
The new law is intended to crack down on so-called “harmful and addictive design practices.” This includes endless news feeds, autoplay videos, and other tools designed to keep users engaged.
Greece proposes banning social media for children under 15
France wants to restrict social media for children under 15
