The Dutch government has endorsed a proposal for a European Union-wide minimum age requirement for social media use, aiming to establish consistent regulations across member states. The Netherlands, in collaboration with Spain, has presented a joint initiative to the European Commission advocating for a minimum age of 15 for social media platforms, accompanied by privacy-conscious age verification mechanisms.
Digital Economy Minister Willemijn Aerdts emphasized the necessity of extending the same safety standards that protect children offline to the online environment. This push aligns with ongoing discussions within the European Commission, which is expected to unveil proposals focused on safeguarding children from potential risks associated with social media as part of its broader digital policy agenda.
The debate over age restrictions on social media has gained momentum as various nations implement their own measures. Notably, Australia has prohibited individuals under 16 from accessing major social media platforms since December 2025, while France enacted restrictions for those under 15 earlier this month. The United Kingdom also plans to impose similar age limits for users under 16 starting in 2027.
Despite these efforts, concerns have been raised by privacy advocates regarding the implementation of age verification systems. In April, the European Commission introduced an age-checking application, but it was quickly found to have security vulnerabilities. A security researcher demonstrated how the system could be bypassed, prompting the commission to release a subsequent security update.