Senegal partners with Meta on child online safety as EU weighs continent‑wide age limits

Senegal organised a day‑long forum on July 8 in Dakar, bringing together the Ministry of Family, civil‑society groups, private‑sector actors and Meta to discuss protecting children online. With more than 11 million internet users and 60 % of 9‑ to 17‑year‑olds connecting daily, officials aim to create an inter‑ministerial roadmap covering age‑verification, parental‑control tools and reporting mechanisms.

At the same time, the European Commission is preparing a decision on how to limit minors’ access to social‑media platforms across the EU. An expert panel will present recommendations on a possible “digital majority” – potentially setting a uniform age limit of 13 years or requiring platforms to be safe‑by‑design. The Commission expects to announce a policy direction by September, following moves by member states such as France to restrict access for younger users.