Overview
- At a Brussels summit, heads of state endorsed setting a minimum age for access to platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to better protect minors.
- An EU expert group is due to advise by year’s end on options for introducing age thresholds across the bloc.
- The European Commission is developing an age‑verification app aimed at providing reliable proof of age for online services.
- Australia’s under‑16 ban is cited as a model, though the eSafety regulator reports the rule is often bypassed due to weak verification.
- In Germany, Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig and Greens leader Franziska Brantner support an age floor, while CSU leader Markus Söder opposes it.