The National Conference of Luxembourg Students (CNEL) has come out against proposed legislation that would ban social media access for young people under the age of 16, warning that such a measure would amount to a “de facto prohibition”.
In an opinion published on Wednesday, the student organisation argued that instead of strict age limits, what is needed is comprehensive media education, greater awareness-raising efforts, and tougher regulations targeting the platforms themselves.
As discussions around a potential European legal minimum age for social media use continue to gain momentum, the CNEL cautioned against pursuing what it considers the wrong approach. While acknowledging that the goal of better protecting young people is “legitimate and necessary”, the organisation stated that a broad ban is “not the right answer to this complex issue”.
The CNEL pointed out that social media have become an integral part of daily life for many young people, providing spaces for communication, creative expression, and social participation. At the same time, the organisation stressed that it is not blind to the associated risks, citing excessive usage and addictive behaviour, mental health concerns, cyberbullying, disinformation, and data protection challenges. The CNEL also noted that algorithms are designed to “maximise attention in a targeted way”, which can reinforce problematic usage patterns.
Despite these concerns, the CNEL remains critical of introducing an age limit of 16. The organisation argued that such a measure would effectively function as a ban while failing to address the root causes of the problems. Rather than resolving issues, it would simply postpone them, without ensuring that young people develop the skills needed for responsible digital media use, the CNEL contended.
The organisation further questioned the effectiveness of strict age checks, noting that they are technically easy to circumvent. It also highlighted an additional complication: the boundaries between social media platforms, information services, and video hosting or streaming platforms have become “practically non-existent”. Without a clear definition of what constitutes a social media platform, the CNEL warned, any regulation risks creating practical difficulties and legal uncertainties.
Rather than prohibition, the CNEL argues that young people need to develop the skills necessary to navigate the digital world responsibly. To this end, the organisation has formulated four key demands:
In its statement, the CNEL said it “deeply” regrets the European Parliament’s position supporting a minimum age of 16, a decision which, in the organisation’s view, merely “postpones the problem”.
