Strict European regulations for social networks raise concerns in the USA

In the context of concerns regarding the online safety of children, several European countries, such as Spain, the United Kingdom and Ireland, are intensifying pressure on major social media platforms, including Meta, X and TikTok. Spain has requested prosecutors to investigate these platforms for the dissemination of images of minors generated by artificial intelligence, while Ireland is analyzing the Grok chatbot from X for managing personal data.

Several European countries, including France, Greece and Denmark, are proposing to ban access for teenagers to social networks, citing risks of addiction and online abuse. These actions reflect internal political pressure and dissatisfaction with the slow response of European institutions. Although the Digital Services Act (DSA) allows for fines to be imposed on platforms that do not combat harmful content, the enforcement of these sanctions is politically delicate.

Tensions are rising between Europe and the United States, with threats from former President Donald Trump regarding tariffs on tech companies. French President Emmanuel Macron characterized the U.S. opposition to European regulations as a "geopolitical battle," and European officials emphasize the need to quickly address issues related to the online protection of minors, even if this involves legal and diplomatic challenges.

Access for minors to social networks has divided the political class in Romania, with presidential advisor Sorin Costreie and the head of DSU Raed Arafat supporting regulation, while Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan believes that total bans are unrealistic and proposes preventive and educational measures.