New push in Europe to curb children's social media use

From dangerous diet tips to disinformation, cyberbullying to hate speech, the glut of online content harmful to children grows every day.

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But several European countries have had enough and agree the EU should do more to prevent minors’ access to social media.

The European Union already has some of the world’s most stringent digital rules to rein in Big Tech, with multiple probes ongoing into how platforms protect children - or fail to do so.

Backed by France and Spain, Greece spearheaded a proposal for how the EU should limit children's use of online platforms as a rising body of evidence shows the negative effects of social media on children’s mental and physical health.

They discussed the plan on Friday with EU counterparts in Luxembourg to push the idea of setting an age of digital adulthood across the 27-country bloc, meaning children would not be able to access social media without parental consent.