Poland Plans Age Restrictions for Social Media Access
New legislation aims to ban social media accounts for children under fifteen years old.
1Proposed Legislative Framework
The Polish Ministry of Digital Affairs and the Ministry of Education have jointly drafted legislation to restrict social media access. Once enacted, individuals under the age of 15 will be prohibited from creating accounts. This initiative aims to protect younger users from digital addiction and exposure to potentially harmful online content.
2Timeline and Implementation
The project was officially entered into the Council of Ministers' legislative work schedule in late October. Public consultations are expected to commence by mid-November. Government officials aim to have these new regulations fully implemented by the start of the next school year, marking a significant shift in national digital policy.
3Stance on EU Proposals
The European Commission recently introduced the EU Kids Act, which suggests allowing children aged 13 to 15 limited access via supervised mini-accounts. Polish Deputy Minister of Education Katarzyna Lubnauer rejected this transition period, comparing it to allowing children to consume alcohol in smaller quantities, citing the addictive nature of social platforms.
4Verification Mechanisms
To enforce the age limit, the government plans to utilize three primary tools: the European Digital Identity Wallet, the mObywatel application, or platform-specific solutions compliant with EU safety standards. The system is designed to share only binary age confirmation, ensuring user privacy by withholding names, surnames, or specific birth dates.
5Handling Existing Accounts
Platforms will be granted a 12-month transition period to verify user ages. Accounts created more than 10 years ago are exempt from this process. If a user fails verification, their account will not be deleted but rather suspended, preserving all stored content until the user reaches the mandatory 15-year age threshold.
6Current Usage Statistics
Data from the 'Internet for Children' report indicates that 55 percent of children aged 7 to 12 in Poland regularly utilize social networking sites or messaging applications. Platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat remain the most popular choices among this demographic, highlighting the scale of the proposed legislative impact.
7Educational Context
The 15-year age limit aligns with the Polish education system's structure, specifically the transition point between primary and post-primary schooling. Officials argue that younger children are significantly more susceptible to the psychological risks associated with social media, necessitating a stricter regulatory approach compared to the broader European Union guidelines.
8Policy Implications
By prioritizing a strict age threshold over the EU's proposed intermediate model, Poland is positioning itself as a leader in child digital safety. The success of this policy will depend on the effectiveness of the verification tools and the cooperation of major social media platforms in complying with these new national requirements.
Original article: Rzeczpospolita — Poland Plans Age Restrictions for Social Media Access