{"id":65223,"date":"2026-05-12T04:23:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T08:23:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/european-commission-chief-announces-crackdown-on-social-media-giants-over-youth-safety\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T04:23:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T08:23:22","slug":"european-commission-chief-announces-crackdown-on-social-media-giants-over-youth-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/european-commission-chief-announces-crackdown-on-social-media-giants-over-youth-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"European Commission Chief Announces Crackdown on Social Media Giants Over Youth Safety"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n

BRUSSELS, May 12 – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Tuesday that the European Union is developing new rules to restrict social media companies’ operations as part of an effort to safeguard young users.<\/p>

Speaking in Copenhagen, von der Leyen stated that harm to young people from social media platforms isn’t accidental “but the result of business models that treat our children’s attention as a commodity.”<\/p>

The EU leader said her organization is focusing enforcement efforts on major platforms including TikTok, X, and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook properties.<\/p>

“We are taking action against TikTok and its addictive design, endless scrolling, autoplay and push notifications. The same applies to Meta, because we believe Instagram and Facebook are failing to enforce their own minimum age of 13,” von der Leyen explained.<\/p>

European officials have also initiated legal action against X regarding its Grok artificial intelligence system, which they say has been used to generate inappropriate sexual content involving women and minors.<\/p>

Von der Leyen indicated that later this year, the Commission plans to address “addictive and harmful design practices” including “attention capture, complex contracts, subscription traps.”<\/p>

The EU chief also supported implementing strict age restrictions that would prevent younger teenagers from accessing social media platforms entirely.<\/p>

“The question is not whether young people should have access to social media, the question is whether social media should have access to young people,” she stated.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

European Union officials are developing new rules to restrict how social media companies operate in order to better protect young users. The initiative specifically targets major platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X for their business practices that officials say harm children.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":65222,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[832],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-65223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1778574202772.jpg?fit=450%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbtNqq-gXZ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":49702,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/greece-bans-social-media-for-children-under-15-pushes-for-eu-wide-restrictions\/","url_meta":{"origin":65223,"position":0},"title":"Greece Bans Social Media for Children Under 15, Pushes for EU-Wide Restrictions","author":"Admin","date":"April 9, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Greece has announced plans to prohibit social media access for children 15 and younger, targeting platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the measure aims to protect youth from anxiety and stress while encouraging the European Union to adopt similar continent-wide rules.","rel":"","context":"In "World News"","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775756356344.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775756356344.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775756356344.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775756356344.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":63324,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/trump-issues-july-4-deadline-for-eu-trade-deal-approval-or-higher-tariffs\/","url_meta":{"origin":65223,"position":1},"title":"Trump Issues July 4 Deadline for EU Trade Deal Approval or Higher Tariffs","author":"Admin","date":"May 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"President Trump has given the European Union until Independence Day to finalize a trade agreement negotiated last year, threatening increased tariffs if the deadline isn't met. The ultimatum comes after Trump spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about the stalled deal.","rel":"","context":"In "Politics"","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1778182726424.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1778182726424.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1778182726424.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1778182726424.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39751,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/european-leaders-vow-to-deliver-ukraine-aid-despite-hungarian-opposition\/","url_meta":{"origin":65223,"position":2},"title":"European Leaders Vow to Deliver Ukraine Aid Despite Hungarian Opposition","author":"Admin","date":"March 19, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised Friday that the EU will find alternative methods to deliver a promised $104.2 billion loan to Ukraine. The commitment comes after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban blocked the financial aid package during a Brussels summit.","rel":"","context":"In "World News"","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1773969728801.jpg?fit=450%2C299&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":29787,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/eu-leaders-see-opportunity-for-change-after-iranian-supreme-leaders-death\/","url_meta":{"origin":65223,"position":3},"title":"EU Leaders See Opportunity for Change After Iranian Supreme Leader’s Death","author":"Admin","date":"March 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The European Union's top diplomat says Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death creates a historic opportunity for the Iranian people to shape their country's future. EU officials are working with regional partners to prevent escalating violence while expressing hope for positive change in Iran.","rel":"","context":"In "World News"","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772367381061.jpg?fit=450%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":28624,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/eu-moves-forward-with-major-south-american-trade-deal-despite-parliament-opposition\/","url_meta":{"origin":65223,"position":4},"title":"EU Moves Forward with Major South American Trade Deal Despite Parliament Opposition","author":"Admin","date":"February 27, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced plans to begin provisional implementation of a massive trade agreement with South American nations, bypassing European Parliament approval for now. The deal, 25 years in the making, would create one of the world's largest free trade zones covering over 700 million people.","rel":"","context":"In "World News"","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772191863864.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772191863864.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772191863864.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1772191863864.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":73705,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/new-hungarian-pm-seeks-eu-meeting-to-unlock-frozen-billions\/","url_meta":{"origin":65223,"position":5},"title":"New Hungarian PM Seeks EU Meeting to Unlock Frozen Billions","author":"Admin","date":"May 29, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Hungary's new Prime Minister P\u00e9ter Magyar is meeting with European Union leadership in Brussels on Friday, hoping to release billions in frozen EU funding. The money was blocked due to concerns about democratic backsliding under his predecessor Viktor Orb\u00e1n.","rel":"","context":"In "World News"","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1780054891519.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1780054891519.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1780054891519.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1780054891519.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65223"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65223\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}