Nicosia: A bill proposing a minimum age of 15 for social media access is poised to be presented to the House of Representatives in December, as disclosed by Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Deputy Minister Nicodemos Damianou. Cyprus is planning to integrate an age-verification mechanism into its Digital Citizen app to enforce this new regulation.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Damianou emphasized that while defining an age limit is crucial, ensuring social media platforms can effectively enforce it is equally important. The legislation mandates platforms to deploy mechanisms that verify a user's age without storing additional personal data, thereby outlining their responsibilities.
Cyprus is also anticipating the finalized EU Kids Act, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Additionally, the European Commission has proposed the EU Age Verification Blueprint, with Cyprus participating in its development to integrate it into the Digital Citizen app. Damianou stated that this is expected to be the optimal technical solution but acknowledged the time required for implementation.
Until the regulation is in place, platforms will be responsible for their own age-verification mechanisms, with the legislation allowing them several months to adapt. Existing users will also need to undergo age verification to ensure compliance with the new age requirements.
Damianou noted that individual countries have limited influence over major platforms compared to collective EU action, which could exert significant pressure on platforms to implement age-gating mechanisms. He warned that non-compliance could activate provisions of the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Cyprus is closely observing the scope for member states to set their own age limits as outlined in the Commission's announcement of the EU Kids Act. Many EU member states are already preparing or discussing similar legislation.
Damianou highlighted a broader European trend of restricting social media access for younger users, as reflected in the Commission President's framework that proposes barring children under 13 from social media entirely and offering restricted access for those aged 13 to 15.
Regarding Cyprus' bill, Damianou confirmed that work is at an advanced stage, targeting a December presentation to the House of Representatives. Before this, a public consultation via the Voice of the Citizen platform and targeted consultations with relevant organizations are planned. An impact assessment by the Commissioner for Children's Rights will also be conducted to evaluate the scientific aspects of the issue.
These processes will be concurrent with the legislation drafting, incorporating findings and developments from the European Commission. Damianou reiterated the government's commitment to addressing the serious issue of social media access for minors, noting the significant shift in member states' positions over the past six months due to concerns over algorithm-driven addictive behavior.
The Deputy Minister concluded by stating that nearly all of Europe is now expressing intent to advance relevant legislation.