THE HAGUE--The Dutch government is backing an enforceable European minimum age for social media, joining Spain in calling for a single approach across the European Union as concern grows over children’s exposure to addictive algorithms, harmful content and other online risks.
The Netherlands and Spain have submitted proposals to the European Commission calling for a common minimum age supported by privacy-friendly age verification. While their joint proposal does not specify an age, the Dutch government’s position remains that children younger than 15 should not have access to social media.
“In the physical world we do not accept that products are unsafe for children,” Junior Digital Economy Minister Willemijn Aerdts said. “The same standard must apply online.”
The Dutch coalition agreement between D66, VVD and CDA specifically commits government to pursuing an enforceable Europe-wide minimum age of 15, together with age checks designed to verify whether a user meets the threshold without unnecessarily disclosing personal information.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to address online child safety during her State of the Union speech to the European Parliament on September 16. The Commission has already convened an expert panel on child safety online, which delivered recommendations in July covering age-appropriate access to social media and other digital services.
Europe is part of a wider international movement toward tighter controls. Australia became the first country to require designated social media platforms to prevent children under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts, with the restriction taking effect in December 2025. The United Kingdom has since announced its own under-16 ban, expected to take effect in spring 2027.
France also attempted to prohibit social media access for children under 15, but its Constitutional Council blocked the legislation in August, ruling that the measure disproportionately restricted freedom of expression and lacked sufficient safeguards around personal data. The French government has indicated it intends to revise the proposal.
One of the largest challenges remains age verification. Supporters argue that restrictions will have limited effect if platforms cannot reliably determine users’ ages, while privacy advocates warn against systems that require people to surrender excessive personal information simply to prove they are old enough.
For St. Maarten, any future EU-wide rule would not automatically apply locally. St. Maarten is an Overseas Country and Territory associated with the European Union, but is not part of the EU and is not directly subject to EU law. Any similar age restriction here would therefore require a separate local or Kingdom-level policy or legal decision.
