The European Union is cracking down on digital platforms more and more. The European Parliament has now passed a report that calls for stronger rules on how youngsters can use social networks and tighter oversight on the firms that run them.
The vote, which had 483 votes in favour, 92 against, and 86 abstentions, approved the EU’s ban on minors under 13 using internet services. It also suggests raising that age limit to 16 if the parents can’t give permission.
The report, while not legally obligatory, stresses the need to safeguard young people from dangers like internet addiction, worsening mental health, and being exposed to illegal or hazardous content.
People have said bad things about how addictive the platforms are.
MEPs said that big internet platforms haven’t done enough to make sure that the environment is safe.
The paper says that social media is addicting because of things like endless scrolling, autoplaying videos, and constant notifications. It also calls for rules to do rid of things like loot boxes, virtual currencies, and payment systems for in-app advancement.
Age verification that doesn’t violate privacy
The idea calls for stricter mechanisms for checking people’s ages. The European Commission is working with Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Denmark on a pilot initiative to make a mobile app that checks users’ ages without invading their privacy.
Parliament did say, though, that these technologies shouldn’t let people make personal profiles to suggest content and should follow data protection rules.
Also, MEPs stressed that checking someone’s age is not the only way to keep kids safe online.
Not enough tools for parents to control their kids
The article talks on how hard it is for parents to keep an eye on what their kids do online. A lot of parents don’t know how to use the tools they need, and kids can easily get around the rules that are already in place.
Parental control solutions right now are broken up and hard to use consistently across multiple devices and platforms.
Because of this, the European Parliament asked the European Commission to push for solutions that operate on all mobile devices, no matter what brand or operating system they use.
What technology companies are responsible for
The language suggests that top executives of digital companies might be held personally responsible if they break child protection laws in a big way. This step is meant to make sure that businesses don’t get out of their duty to protect kids.
MEPs also wanted rules for influencer marketing, personalised ads, and interfaces that are meant to get kids hooked on them.
They also wanted the platforms to be responsible for making sure that their products are safe and appropriate for people of all ages.
Von der Leyen makes an official suggestion
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, told Parliament that the Executive is working on a plan to control how minors can use social networks.
Von der Leyen said she will talk to governments, organisations, experts, and families before making a formal recommendation. She also suggested that the Australian model, which doesn’t let minors use social media, may be a good example.
Author: Derek Appleton
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