BRUSSELS (AP) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed banning children under 13 from accessing social media, online games and chatbots on Wednesday during her annual State of the European Union speech in Strasbourg.
“I am aware that many perceive the power of Big Tech as overwhelming and impossible to roll back. I disagree,” said the EU executive.
kAm“(6 5@ ?@E 92G6 E@ 2446AE 255:4E:G6 762EFC6D] (6 5@ ?@E 92G6 E@ 2446AE 49:=5C6? 36:?8 5C2H? :?E@ 6G6C >@C6 6IEC6>6 4@?E6?E] (6 5@ ?@E 92G6 E@ 2446AE E92E 8:C=D 92G6 E96:C A9@E@D FD65 7@C px\86?6C2E65 D6IF2=:K65 :>286D[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm’@? 56C {6J6? D2:5 E92E F?56C 96C AC@A@D2= “>:?: 244@F?ED” 492A6C@?65 3J 8F2C5:2?D H@F=5 36 8C2?E65 E@ <:5D 2865 `b\`d]k^Am
kAm%96 t&’D af >6>36C ?2E:@?D H:== ?@H G@E6 @? E96 AC@A@D2=[ H9:49 4@F=5 DA2C< E6?D:@?D H:E9 &]$] !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A[ H9@ 92D =@?8 4C:E:4:K65 tFC@A6’D E649 C68F=2E:@?D]k^Am
kAm’@? 56C {6J6? FD65 96C DA6649 E@ 25G2?46 2 A=2? E92E D96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^6F\D@4:2=\>65:2\=6J6?\49:=5C6?\C6DEC:4E:@?D\E649\5dcb6_453ac2h4g75f76g7_c3hfhcb6eQm7@C6D925@H65 62C=:6Ck^2m E9:D J62C[ H96? D96 D2:5 <:5D D9@F=5 36 6IA@D65 E@ D@4:2= >65:2 😕 2 “A92D65 2?5 8C25F2=” H2J]k^Am
kAm%96 4@>>:DD:@?’D AC@A@D2= 😀 A2CE @7 2 H:56C @?8@:?8 5632E6 A=2J:?8 @FE H@C=5H:56 @? 9@H E@ AC@E64E J@F?8 A6@A=6 @?=:?6]k^Am
kAmx? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D[ D@4:2= >65:2 4@>A2?J |6E2 !=2E7@C>D =2DE >@?E9 28C665 E@ A2J FA E@ S`g 3:==:@? 2?5 255 DEC@?86C 49:=5\D276EJ >62DFC6D E@ :ED u2463@@< 2?5 x?DE28C2> A=2E7@C>D E@ C6D@=G6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^>6E2\D@4:2=\>65:2\EC:2=D\d_3b_d_7g6adf6dfg2h3d4_a2hcf4hd2Qm2 EC:2=k^2m @G6C E66? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^D@4:2=\>65:2\255:4E:@?\D:8?D\25F=ED\52c2ag7`3be`3b5h_h3cfh_5c7cea_ghQmD@4:2= >65:2 255:4E:@?k^2m 2?5 D6EE=6 4=2:>D 7:=65 3J ?62C=J 6G6CJ DE2E6]k^Am
kAm|62?H9:=6[ :?5:G:5F2= 4@F?EC:6D 😕 tFC@A6 2?5 😕 @E96C A=246D =:<6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^2FDEC2=:2\D@4:2=\>65:2\49:=5C6?\32?\d_gfcga7e`45hcg274c7`cg7gg5_6c4fQmpFDEC2=:2k^2m 2?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?6H\K62=2?5\D@4:2=\>65:2\32?\F?56C\`e\6e2c7e__2e_66c`5af333caba3d57f_dQm}6H +62=2?5k^2m 92G6 E2<6? E96:C @H? DE6AD E@ 32? E66?D 7C@> D@4:2= >65:2 A=2E7@C>D] qFE D@>6 @7 E9@D6 677@CED 92G6 CF? :?E@ C@253=@4
kAm|2?7C65 (636C[ E96 9625 @7 E96 =2C86DE 8C@FA 😕 E96 tFC@A62? !2C=:2>6?E[ DA@<6 27E6C G@? 56C {6J6? E@ AC@A@D6 E92E E96 t& 7@==@H pFDEC2=:2VD =625 😕 2==@H:?8 4:E:K6?D E@ DH:E49 @77 D@4:2= >65:2 2=8@C:E9>D]k^Am
kAm“t=@? |FD< H:== ?@E =:<6 :E[ 3FE AC@323=J E92E 😀 2 C62D@? 7@C 5@:?8 :E[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
k9C ^m
kAm%9:D DE@CJ 92D 366? 65:E65 E@ 4@CC64E E96 DA6==:?8 @7 |2?7C65 (636CVD ?2>6]k^Am
k9C ^m
kAmr92? C6A@CE65 7C@> {@?5@?]k^Am
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
