Estonia Urges EU Not to Ban Children From Social Media
Estonian Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta has called on the European Union to focus on the safety of online platforms rather than banning children from using social media. As Asharq Al-Awsat reports, Estonia opposes EU plans to restrict minors’ access to such services.
Platforms’ responsibility
According to Pakosta, the main responsibility for children’s safety should lie with the technology companies that operate popular social media platforms. She said that since children are members of the information society, the platforms themselves should change.
The minister also stressed that platforms should be designed with the best interests and rights of the child in mind. In her view, such an approach would benefit society as a whole.
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Age restrictions in the EU
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to announce a ban on social media for children on September 16. According to the publication, EU officials are discussing the possible introduction of an age threshold of 13 or 15.
Pakosta believes that the EU can demand changes from platforms through the Digital Services Act (DSA). In particular, she proposes making EU recommendations for online services on child protection legally binding.
The European Union has already used the DSA to investigate Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, as well as TikTok. The EU also required these platforms to change design elements it described as addictive.
