The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and in no way represent the editorial position of Euroneus.
In today’s digital age, children are growing up in a world where social media is just as crucial to everyday life as schools and families. Technology offers great opportunities for learning, creativity and connection, but young people are exposed to important risks that they no longer overlook.
The outcome is deeply concerned. According to a 2023 report by the European Commission, one in three young people in the EU spends more than three hours a day on social media.
This level of overexposure is closely linked to increased mental health issues in minors, including anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.
A 2024 survey by the World Health Organization showed that youth problematic social media use increased from 7% in 2018 to 11% in 2022. This highlights the negative impact on mental health, sleep, happiness and academic achievement.
Social media platforms, often built around addictive algorithms, are designed to help young users engage for a long time.
Continuous exposure to idealized, curated content can distort self-awareness and promote feelings of inadequacy and dissatisfaction.
These are not just statistics, they reflect the true emotional and psychological struggles faced by an entire generation increasingly equipped to navigate the digital world in a healthy and balanced way.
What are we looking for?
Europe has made notable advances through initiatives such as The Better Internet for Kids (BIK+) strategy and Digital Services Act (DSA). However, the current framework remains insufficient. Online protection for children must be promoted to political and social priorities, supported by concrete and enforceable behavior.
Therefore, starting with the default privacy settings for children’s accounts, you should move quickly to implement a series of intensive measurements to reduce the risk of unsolicited contacts from strangers.
It also requires an eclivized recommendation system to prioritize explicit user feedback, such as intentional selection of topics, minimizing the risk of children being drawn into harmful content rabbit holes.
They want to enhance enhanced safety management, including the ability to block or mute users and protect children from being added to group chats without explicit consent.
Among other things, it is necessary to implement the required age verification mechanisms in all social networks. Such measures are essential to prevent minors from bypassing age restrictions and significantly reduce exposure to harmful online environments.
The European Commission’s recent draft guidelines for the protection of minors under the DSA illustrate an important step towards a safer digital space. They provide a unique opportunity to establish standard practices of age verification AA across social networks, not as an optional feature but as a strict requirement.
By conducting age verification, the platform will equip the platform with the technical measures necessary to maintain its own terms of service. It also promotes the enforcement of EU and national laws that set minimum age requirements for access to certain digital products or services.
If the digital world is serious about promoting healthy development, learning and meaningful connections rather than becoming a breeding ground for anxiety, addiction and harm, then we need to take decisive action.
Alexander PraalSecretary of State for Digitalization, Anti-Semitism and Public Services, and the Constitution, Austria. Professor Radvan FuchsPhD, Croatia, Minister of Science, Education and Youth. Damir HabijangMinister of Justice, Administrative and Digital Transformation, Croatia. Dr. Nicodemos DamianouDeputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy in Cyprus. Caroline Stage OlsenDenmark’s Minister of Digital Affairs. Clara ChappasFrench Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Issues. Elizabeth BourneFrench Minister of National Education, Higher Education and Research. Katherine Vorthlin, Minister of French labor, health, solidarity and family. Karin Prienfederal education, family issues, elderly, women and young people, Germany. Dimitrios papastergiouGreek Minister of Digital Governance. Sofia ZakalakiMinister of Education, Religion and Sports in Greece. Patrick O’DonovanMinister of Culture and Communications, Ireland. Professor Giuseppe ValditerMinister of Education and Merit, Italy. Alessio ButtiDeputy Secretary of State to the presidency of the Council of Ministers responsible for Italian technological innovation and digital transition. Elizabeth MargMinister of Justice and Minister obsessed with the Prime Minister, responsibility for media and connections, Luxembourg. Claude everyoneLuxembourg, Minister of Education, Children and Youth Affairs. Tomash Druckereducation, research, development, youth, Slovakia. Ksenija KlamphferMinister of Digital Transformation in Slovenia. Vinko logajSlovenian Minister of Education and Care. Oscar Lopez AguedaMinister of Digital and Civil Service Change, Spain and María Del Pilar Alegria ContinentMinister of Education and Vocational Training, Spain, all co-authored this opinion article.
