Estonia urges EU not to ban children from social media

Estonia's digital minister urged the European Union to make social media platforms safer for children instead of banning minors from using the apps, ahead of an expected EU announcement on age limits.

Estonian Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa-Ly Pakosta told AFP that platforms should change because children are part of the information society.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen is expected to announce a social media ban on September 16, with officials saying an age limit of 13 or 15 is under discussion.

Estonia has opposed the EU plan to restrict children's access to social media. Pakosta said tech companies should bear prime responsibility for making their platforms safer for minors.

Pakosta pointed to the Digital Services Act, the EU's content law, as a way to demand changes. She said EU recommendations for platforms to protect children online should be made legally binding.

The EU has used the law to investigate Meta's Facebook and Instagram and TikTok, and has told the platforms to change what it called their "addictive" designs.