THE EUROPEAN UNION should explore limiting children’s access to social media, with possible new rules proposed as early as this summer, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has said.

The European Commission president has tasked an expert panel to report back by July on what steps the EU should take to protect minors online, including a potential social media ban.

“Without pre-empting the panel’s findings, I believe we must consider a social media delay. Depending on the results, we could come with a legal proposal this summer,” von der Leyen said during a summit in Copenhagen on AI and children.

She didn’t specify the ages that would be affected by the delay.

Ireland is considering a ban on social media for under-16s.

In February, ministers were told the move would be ‘explored’, and a trial is mooted for the first half of 2026.

Young people are expected to be invited to assess how the restrictions will work.

Momentum is gathering internationally for a social media ban for children, amid concerns that excessive screen time could harm childhood development and mental health.

Australia became the first country in the world to introduce a ban last December, with the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Norway, New Zealand, Malaysia and India all announcing they would do the same.

Tánaiste Simon Harris previously said the Irish government is“clearly hearing” from parents that they want action when it comes to children on social media, after a poll showed that three-quarters of those surveyed were in favour of the restriction.

Some accused the government of letting tech firms off the hook by banning children without asking the platforms to clean up their act.

Noeline Blackwell of the Children’s Rights Alliance said today that the government’s proposal “punishes children for the fixable faults created by the tech giants by denying them the social engagement that is some of the best parts of social media”.

The government is also to look at keeping legislation under review to address the advent of AI and technologies as tools to intimidate or harass individuals.

There was also an expectation that the government will engage with the European Commission to ensure the list of prohibited practices under the EU’s AI legislation remains fit for purpose in the context of the growing capabilities of AI.

With reporting by AFP