European Union grills digital giants over risks to children

The EU on Friday demanded digital giants including Snapchat and YouTube explain how they are protecting children from online harm, as all but two member states signalled openness to restricting social media access for minors.

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The European Union has stringent rules regulating the digital space, including what children should be able to see, but there is increasing concern that more needs doing.

Inspired by Australia's social media ban for under-16s, Brussels is analysing whether to set bloc-wide limits on minors' access to platforms - with 25 of 27 EU countries coming out Friday in support of at least studying such a measure. Europe's biggest weapon for ensuring platforms tackle illegal content and keep children safe online is the Digital Services Act, which has sparked censorship claims from the US tech sector and retaliation threats from President Donald Trump.