
Over recent months, the EU has intensified its efforts to address potential dangers in the online realm, particularly concerning minors. The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee of the European Parliament has taken significant steps by adopting a report advocating for the European Commission to impose stricter regulations against gambling-like mechanisms in games targeting younger audiences.
The committee’s recent vote favoring this measure saw a tally of 32 votes supporting the ban, with only 5 opposing and 9 abstentions. The proposed guidelines recommend a minimum age of 13 for minors to access social media, requiring parental consent for younger users. Additionally, without consent, they suggest that the unsupervised age limit be increased to 16 alongside recommending a ban on loot boxes in games accessible to minors.
This initiative is part of broader efforts to ensure a safer online environment, which also encompasses the prohibition of manipulative design elements that may exploit minors. The call for combating technologies that could lead to addictive behaviors or excessive spending among children reflects the increasing awareness of safeguarding young users in the digital landscape.