France and Denmark are the European countries leading in legislating the use of networks by minors. In the French country, a bill has been approved to verify age and restrict access for minors under 15 years old to networks. The Danes plan to follow the same example. In the case of Portugal and the United Kingdom, there is already an open parliamentary procedure. The English intend to prohibit use for minors under 16 years old, while in Lisbon they are considering whether parental control can be intermediated between 13 and 16 years old.
In Spain, Pedro Sánchez, announced on February 3 the intention to remove access to social networks for minors under 16 years of age. He detailed a package of five measures to address the abuses of large digital platforms and guarantee a safe digital environment. His plan also focuses on the responsibility of the executives of these platforms. It is no coincidence that these measures arrive at different points in Europe, and it is that in November there was already a debate in the European Union about the existing problems of networks for minors.
The European Parliament approved by a majority of 483 votes in favor and 92 against, a report in which it calls for greater protection for minors against manipulation and addiction that social networks can generate. The Parliament proposes 16 years as the minimum age for access to social networks and supports the option that from 13 years old they can enter with parental permission.
In this way, the path marked by Australia is followed, the first country to regulate minors' access to social networks. Last December 10, the law came into effect prohibiting minors under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts on applications such as Facebook, X, Threads, Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, Reddit, and YouTube.
