The European Parliament's Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) committee, in a debate on 24 June 2026, revealed a clear divide between those calling for stricter bans on minors' access to social media and those advocating safety-by-design approaches, as the EU prepares the Digital Fairness Act (DFA) and a review of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD).
The debate, which focused on protection of minors online, saw Commission official H. Gambs outline a horizontal approach using the Digital Services Act (DSA), consumer law, and the upcoming DFA. Meta's T. Hopkins defended the company's teen accounts with default protections, but S&D MEP Laura Ballarín Cereza countered that these 'just don't work', citing an 11-year-old account created without controls. A parent advocate and Kids Unplugged Belgium called for raising the minimum age to 16 and treating tech as a regulated sector. Pablo Arias Echeverría (EPP) urged caution and evidence-based policy. Jan Penfraud of EDRi argued bans are ineffective and potentially harmful, while Greens-EFA MEP Alexandra Geese supported a ban, calling DOT Europe's call for evidence 'mockery' due to restricted researcher access. On age verification, CDT Europe opposed hard ID tools, while the Commission's Renata defended the EU digital wallet's privacy-friendly design. Enforcement speed was criticized; Sérgio Humberto (EPP) noted the CPC revision aims for binding timelines.
Consensus existed on prioritizing minor protection and needing faster enforcement, but the core divergence—bans versus safety-by-design—remains unresolved. Next steps include DFA adoption and AVMSD review, which will test the balance between protecting minors and preserving platform innovation. The outcome will significantly impact minors and parents (seeking stronger safeguards), platforms (facing compliance costs and potential access restrictions), consumer groups (pushing for stricter regulation), and regulators (tasked with enforcement). A ban could reduce exposure to harmful content but may limit minors' access to beneficial online services and raise privacy concerns with age verification. Safety-by-design offers flexibility but risks slower implementation and continued exposure to risks.