TIRANA, September 22 /ATA/ – Chairman of the Socialist Party Parliamentary group Taulant Balla has backed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal for stricter children’s social media rules, urging a political consensus to adopt similar measures in Albania.
During the 22nd meeting of the EU-Albania Stabilization and Association Parliamentary Committee, Balla invited opposition MPs to support the European Commission’s initiative, emphasizing that protecting children in the digital environment is a shared responsibility.
He referred to the proposed “EU Kids Act” model, under which children under the age of 13 should not have access to social media, while the 13–15 age group should use accounts supervised by parents or guardians. For young people aged 15 to 18, Balla supported the use of independent accounts, accompanied by strong security standards implemented by digital platforms.
“I also invite my opposition colleagues to join us in supporting—without distinction—Ms. Von der Leyen’s proposal regarding how children use social media,” Balla stated. According to him, platforms must implement the “safety by design” principle by integrating child safety from the very stage of designing their services, including those in the Albanian language. Balla emphasized that Albania needs to initiate discussions on aligning with new European standards for child protection in the digital space. /p.s./
