A majority of Dutch MPs have voted in favour of an age limit of 15 for using social media, such as TikTok, X and Instagram.

The limit would not be a legal ban but a guideline. MPs said they want the cabinet to explore ways of including the age limit in European legislation which, unlike a general norm, could be enforced.

MPs want the age limit to protect young children from exposure to harmful social media content. “Children are looking at images that are completely unsuitable and they end and are drawn into an environment from which they cannot escape,” said D66 MP Hanneke van der Werf, who tabled the motion with NSC, CDA, ChristenUnie and SGP.

GroenLinks-PvdA, BBB, SP, Partij voor de Dieren, Volt and JA21 voted in favour. PVV, VVD, FvD and Denk were against the proposal.

The motion also included a call for stronger sanctions for tech companies that do too little to offer a healthy and safe environment to children and use addictive techniques aimed at keeping children engaged for as long as possible.

Most apps have an age limit of 13 and some 70 to 80%of parents are in favour of a higher limit to help them safeguard the mental and physical health of their children, Trouw reported. Experts are skeptical, the paper said, because tech companies do next to nothing to make sure children don’t dodge the current age limit.

Junior youth minister Vincent Karremans said he supported the age limit guideline which he said would be primarily aimed at parents. He will shortly discuss a common approach to the problem with his European colleagues.