The Commission is currently investigating several platforms, including TikTok, X, Instagram and Facebook, for compliance with these rules.

The European Union is moving towards stricter regulation of social media platforms, focusing on protecting children from what it describes as addictive design features and harmful online practices.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Copenhagen that new rules under the proposed Digital Fairness Act will target platform designs that encourage excessive use among young users on services such as TikTok, Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, and X.

She said concerns include rising cases of anxiety, depression, cyberbullying, self-harm and exploitation linked to social media use, and argued that these risks are driven by platform business models built around user attention.

The proposed legislation, expected later this year, will also address the use of artificial intelligence in social media systems and may introduce restrictions on certain AI-driven features. Von der Leyen also raised the possibility of a minimum age requirement for accessing social platforms.

The initiative builds on the EU’s existing Digital Services Act, which already places obligations on large tech companies to manage illegal and harmful content online. The Commission is currently investigating several platforms, including TikTok, X, Instagram and Facebook, for compliance with these rules.

Von der Leyen said the EU is also examining how emerging AI tools are used within social media environments, although companies involved in ongoing proceedings have not issued detailed responses.

The proposals are part of a wider EU effort to strengthen online safety standards across digital platforms.