EU Leader Vows to Combat Online Bullying and Addiction

In a pivotal speech to the European Parliament, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized her commitment to addressing cyberbullying and the addictive design of social media platforms. This address came ahead of her confirmation vote on July 18, where she successfully secured a second term with 401 votes in favor and 284 against. Her remarks resonated with various political factions, reflecting a strategic alignment with both the Greens and the liberal Renew Europe, who have pushed for policies targeting addictive design. Von der Leyen expressed deep concern over the impact of online abuse on young people, stating, “My heart bleeds when I read about young people harming themselves or even taking their lives because of online abuse.” The European People’s Party (EPP), her political group, has advocated for an EU action plan to combat cyberbullying and online child abuse, a sentiment echoed in her priorities for the upcoming Commission. Addressing the issue of addictive design, von der Leyen acknowledged the detrimental effects of excessive screen time on children’s mental health. She pledged to take decisive action against the addictive features of certain platforms, aligning with the Socialists & Democrats (S&D), who also called for legislation on this matter. In a related move, the European Commission has initiated formal proceedings against TikTok under the Digital Services Act, highlighting concerns over the app's addictive nature and inadequate age verification mechanisms, particularly affecting younger users.