Von der Leyen’s eyes on social media’s impact on children

As she repeatedly said, von der Leyen wants to limit social media’s power. She feels “very strongly” about that. As she condemns the impact that social medias have on society, especially on young people, she is simultaneously acting to force online platforms to better moderate their content.

The power of social media: something we daily face

We all know how social media work and impact our daily lives. Some generations are more aware than others. Ursula von der Leyen aims to break the cycle of life of social media: online platforms, according to her, are “damaging children’s mental health. They have caused cyberbullying and online child abuse“. Therefore, during her speech before being reelected, she promised to “take action against the addictive design of some platforms”. She also mentioned how her “heart bleeds when I read about young people harming themselves or even taking their lives because of online abuse”.

Some actions have already been taken: for example, the Digital Services Act (DSA), the most far-reaching social media law in the Western world, aims to compel platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to moderate their content in order to reduce the mental impact on consumers. Companies can face fines of up to 6 percent of their global annual revenue for serious wrongdoings under the DSA.

It’s not just Ursula von der Leyen who believes it’s crucial to address this phenomenon: countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and others are introducing new rules to limit children’s access to digital devices.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen remarked that the Digital Services Act has thus far been “inadequate” in effectively challenging platforms, while French President Emmanuel Macron suggested implementing EU-wide regulations on screen time for minors and establishing a digital age of majority at 15.

European parties have also expressed their concerns on the topic: the Greens and Renew Europe initiated a resolution calling for an addictive design policy, while the centre-right European People’s Party, von der Leyen’s political family, called for measures to curb cyberbullying in late June.