The European Union Wants to Restrict Social Media Access for Children Under 13; a Move That Could Change Advertising and Targeting Rules
The European Union is working on a new initiative aimed at restricting children’s access to social media. According to a Financial Times report published on September 10, 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is preparing to propose new age restrictions for digital platforms.
Under the proposed plan, children under the age of 13 could be prevented from using social media, while access for older teenagers could be regulated gradually based on age.
If implemented, the plan could lead to significant changes in how platforms such as Facebook and Instagram operate, particularly when it comes to age verification and protecting younger users.
The main reason behind the initiative is growing concern about the impact of social media on children, especially potentially addictive design features, weaknesses in age-verification systems, and the possible effects of these platforms on children’s mental health.
In July 2026, the European Commission preliminarily found that certain features of Facebook and Instagram, including infinite scrolling, autoplay videos, and continuous notifications, could increase the risk of addictive use.
But the issue is not simply about how many hours children spend on social media. In April 2026, the European Commission also preliminarily found that Meta’s measures to prevent children under 13 from using Facebook and Instagram were insufficient.
According to the Commission, children may be able to bypass age restrictions simply by entering a false date of birth when creating an account.
But why does this matter to marketers?
Under the European Union’s Digital Services Act, targeted advertising to minors is already prohibited when the targeting is based on profiling using their personal data. If new age restrictions are introduced, platforms could face even greater pressure to strengthen their age-verification systems.
That could change how brands reach younger audiences and directly affect audience targeting and digital advertising strategies.
For major platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, this would not be a minor regulatory adjustment. If access is restricted for a significant number of younger users, both platforms and brands may need to rethink how they communicate with the next generation in a legal and ethical way.
The issue is also far from simple within the European Union itself. Some countries, including France and Greece, support stronger restrictions, while other European countries have raised questions about how effectively such measures could be implemented in practice.
It is therefore important to emphasize that this is still a proposal, not a final law. But if the European Union continues in this direction, the changes could have a significant impact on the future of social media and digital marketing.
For marketers, the key question is: If platforms are required to impose tighter restrictions on children and teenagers, how will brands reach younger generations in the future without crossing legal and ethical boundaries?
