Dutch government pressing ahead with social media age limit policy

The Dutch government is preparing new guidelines to restrict social media use among children. State Secretary for Youth and Prevention Vincent Karremans (VVD) announced that he will present an official advisory before summer, outlining recommendations on the appropriate age for children to own a smartphone and how much screen time they should have.

"We want to set a clear age limit and provide guidance for parents," Karremans said. "This advice could include recommendations such as prohibiting children from using social media after a certain time or delaying smartphone access until they reach a specific age."

The Tweede Kamer is actively debating age restrictions for social media. Several parties have put forward proposals to limit children's access.

D66 and NSC are pushing for a minimum age of 15 for social media use. "Phones and social media are designed in a way that makes it extremely difficult for children to stop using them," said D66 MP Hanneke van der Werf. "They function like slot machines and have addiction risks similar to nicotine."

The VVD, however, advocates for a lower age limit of 13. Karremans has stated that he will wait for the results of an ongoing study before finalizing his recommendation. It remains unclear whether the D66-NSC motion will gain majority support.

Public opinion appears to align with stricter regulations. A recent survey showed that four out of five parents favor banning social media use for children under 15. "You wouldn't leave the liquor cabinet open for a child, so why would you allow unrestricted social media access?" one parent remarked.

The Netherlands is not alone in considering these measures. In Australia, children under 16 are already prohibited from using social media. Van der Werf stressed the importance of aligning Dutch policy with other countries that enforce similar age limits.