Should Children Be Banned From Social Media Below A Certain Age?

Maltese MEP Alex Agius Saliba is taking part in negotiations on new European measures aimed at strengthening the protection of children and young people online.

Representing the Socialists and Democrats Group, Agius Saliba said that online platforms are placing increasing pressure on minors, with concerns surrounding addictive digital products and harmful online experiences.

“Too many families are mourning the loss of their children because of toxic digital products,” he said, adding that 90% of Europeans want social media to be regulated for children. The MEP argued that introducing a minimum age for accessing social media must be accompanied by effective enforcement.

“Simply establishing an age limit is not enough,” Agius Saliba said, pointing to Australia as an example of legislation which worked on paper but could be undermined by loopholes.

He also called for privacy-preserving age verification, including zero-knowledge protocols and third-party verification, to ensure minors’ personal data remains protected.

The European Parliament has recently backed stronger measures on age verification, addictive design and safety-by-design requirements for online services, which Saliba wants to build upon.

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Source: Partit Laburista