EU pushes under‑13 social‑media ban as Turkish doctors warn of screen‑time harms

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has backed a proposal to ban social‑media use for children under 13, urging tighter limits on digital platforms and noting that some nations, such as France, favour raising the age to 15. In a presentation on 13 July, von der Leyen said, “Social media is not a toy,” and called for stronger safeguards to protect minors from algorithmic exploitation.

Separately, Turkish child‑and‑adolescent psychiatrist Dr Zeynep Zorlu cautioned that excessive screen time can impede language and social development, especially for children aged 0‑3. She advised parents to keep very young children away from screens during the summer holidays and to prioritize age‑appropriate, educational content over uncontrolled platform use.