New System in Belgium to Verify Social Media Users’ Ages

Belgian Digital Minister Vanessa Matz announced that the government is developing an advanced system to verify the ages of social media users, aiming to enhance the protection of minors and regulate the use of digital platforms.

The announcement was made during a plenary session in the House of Representatives, where the minister stated that the new system is expected to be completed by next summer, with a draft law on the matter to be submitted to parliament before the end of the year.

The minister explained that the approach adopted in the new system relies on a trusted and certified third party responsible for verifying that users meet the required legal age.

She emphasized that this mechanism aims to balance the protection of minors with the privacy of users, as sensitive personal data will not be transferred directly to social media platforms, mitigating concerns related to data protection.

This move comes amid increasing international pressure on major tech companies, particularly with growing concerns over the impact of social media use on the mental health of teenagers.

In this context, the minister referred to a ruling in California, USA, where a jury held Instagram and YouTube responsible for exacerbating the depression of an American teenager, a judgment that could pave the way for similar lawsuits accusing platforms of contributing to what has been described as a digital addiction epidemic.

At the European level, the minister cited a court decision in the Netherlands that forced Meta to provide a chronological browsing option for Facebook and Instagram users, bypassing algorithmic feeds.

The minister also expressed regret that national courts had to intervene to enforce European rules and confirmed that she had contacted the European Commission to ensure Meta’s compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA) across all EU member states.

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