EU chief to unveil social media, gaming curbs for under-15s

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen will on Wednesday unveil long-awaited plans to protect children from online harm by curbing access to social media, video-sharing platforms, games and AI chatbots for under-15s.

A global backlash against social media has piled pressure on policymakers, with a rising body of evidence showing negative impacts on children’s physical and mental health.

Australia last year became the world’s first country to ban social media for under-16s, triggering a wave of similar moves elsewhere.