EU lawmakers demand 'youth mode' to curb addictive social media features for children

The European Union's parliament culture committee has demanded a 'youth mode' for social media platforms that disables addictive features and targeted advertising for minors. The addictive features cited include infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and highly personalised recommender systems. The committee also called for an 'EU code of conduct' to regulate influencers and a common definition of 'influencer marketing'. EU lawmaker Sandro Ruotolo stated that responsibility for children's safety must lie with those who design and manage digital platforms. An expert report on Monday recommended a 'safety-by-design' approach to protect minors from potential harms.