European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that children under 13 should only have access to social media under parental supervision.
Experts recommend that social media use should be time-limited. It should only occur under parental guidance.
Justice Minister Liisa Pakosta said that the expert report contains several recommendations. One of them discusses restrictions on social media for children under 13. Another recommendation states that very young children should not have screen time.
Pakosta also noted that restrictions alone are not enough. Parents and teachers have an important role in guiding children in the use of social media.
One problem is that children under 13 may find it very difficult to verify their age on social media. However, the expert report states that platforms should not know the personal data of the child.
Currently, the European Union leaves it to member states to decide whether to raise the age limit above 13. Pakosta said that Estonia does not intend to do so.
Social media platforms already restrict access for children under 13. This is due to EU data protection rules.
Von der Leyen said that the European Union is also considering age restrictions for other online services. Work is also underway to identify platforms harmful to minors.