European Union: European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee adopted report on protection of minors online

On 16 October 2025, the European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) adopted its report on the Protection of minors online (2025/2060(INI)). The report calls for an EU-wide digital minimum age of 16 for accessing social media, video-sharing platforms, and AI companions without parental consent, and a minimum age of 13 for any social media use. It urges the European Commission to strengthen enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and to swiftly adopt guidelines on measures ensuring a high level of privacy, safety, and security for minors under Article 28(4) DSA. The report also recommends legislative action to complement existing frameworks through the Digital Fairness Act, addressing manipulative and addictive design features, targeted advertising, influencer marketing, loot boxes, dark patterns, and engagement-based recommender algorithms. MEPs call for bans on gambling-like mechanisms in games accessible to minors, personal liability for senior management in cases of repeated non-compliance, and harmonised age verification rules consistent with the eIDAS Regulation. The report further addresses AI-related risks, including deepfake imagery, AI chatbots, and anthropomorphic AI companions, and demands strict enforcement of the AI Act against manipulative or deceptive systems. Parliament is expected to vote on the final recommendations during the 24–27 November 2025 plenary session.