EU panel targets 'addictive' features and age-verification to protect minors
An EU expert panel has recommended that digital platforms implement stricter age-verification measures and design changes, such as banning infinite scrolling, to prioritize child safety. The report advocates for greater platform accountability under the existing Digital Services Act and AVMSD frameworks while noting the limited adoption of parental control tools.
Key Takeaways
- Panel advocates for an EU-wide minimum social media age of 13 years
- Recommendation calls for banning infinite scrolling and autoplay features for minors
- Only 22% of European parents currently use available parental control tools
- Proposed rules would require platforms to prove safety before granting minor access
- Designated 'social media+' services would face stricter ex-ante design requirements
Why It Matters
The recommendation marks a critical pivot from voluntary guidelines to binding architectural mandates. By targeting the 'skeleton' of streaming and social platforms—specifically algorithmic feeds and infinite scrolling—the EU is forcing a shift from engagement-first to safety-first product design. This moves the regulatory focus beyond content moderation toward a 'safe by design' standard that could fundamentally alter UI/UX for global platforms operating in Europe. Streaming executives should watch for a formal legislative proposal expected after the summer, which could turn these recommendations into enforceable DSA obligations.
Additional Context
The expert panel's report arrives amid escalating enforcement actions by the European Commission against major platforms. In July 2026, the Commission issued preliminary findings under the Digital Services Act (DSA) accusing TikTok and Meta of violating child safety standards. According to Reuters and the Associated Press (July 2026), the investigations focus on addictive design features, including infinite scroll, and default privacy settings that allegedly leave minors vulnerable to cyberbullying or unwanted contact. Platforms found in non-compliance risk fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenue. A central component of this regulatory push is the EU's privacy-preserving age-verification app, which entered public testing in mid-2026. However, its rollout has been marred by technical setbacks. Per reports from Cybernews (July 2026), security researchers successfully demonstrated bypasses of the app using AI-generated browser extensions in under two minutes, even after multiple security patches. These vulnerabilities highlight the technical difficulty of implementing standardized, friction-free age checks across 27 member states. While the EU seeks a harmonized approach, the regulatory landscape remains fragmented. France and Greece are considering social media age limits as high as 15, while Estonia has pushed for a focus on digital literacy over outright bans. This divergence creates a complex compliance environment for video-sharing and streaming services that must navigate a patchwork of national laws alongside the overarching DSA framework. Per Freshfields (July 2026), this regulatory divergence is expected to intensify through the remainder of the year as the Commission moves from warnings to formal enforcement.
Read full article at pressreader.com
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