The European Union is on the verge of a controversial decision. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, is set to present details of the ۲۷ member countries' plan to limit children's use of social media in her speech next week. This decision is taking shape following increasing pressures from various countries, including Denmark and Greece.
Age Restrictions and Criticism
According to recommendations from an expert panel, the restrictions may be considered for children under ۱۳ or even ۱۵ years old. Meanwhile, countries like Estonia have criticized these measures, believing that restrictions on access to information could have serious consequences for children's rights.
Children's rights groups and social activists are concerned that these restrictions could deprive young people of social connections and valuable resources for their growth and development. According to these activists, this action could violate rights to freedom of expression and access to information, a principle that is even emphasized in the United Nations Charter.
Challenges of Age Verification and Privacy
Alongside these restrictions, a plan to launch an age verification system is also being considered, which they hope will ensure the effectiveness of these restrictions. This application allows users to verify their age using various identification documents. However, critics warn that this action could threaten users' privacy and limit their online freedoms.
For example, some security experts claim that this application has vulnerabilities and could be easily hacked. Meanwhile, the European Union insists that this system is designed to only store individuals' age information and does not retain any other details.
Ultimately, these decisions remain a topic of discussion and controversy, and it remains to be seen whether the European Union can find a way to secure the online space while preserving children's rights.
