Social media is an essential component of many companies’ marketing strategies. European brands spend an estimated €35.5 billion ($40.4 billion) a year on social media advertising, according to IAB Europe’s AdEx Benchmark Report. As governments across the continent move to restrict younger audiences’ access to these platforms, marketers are being forced to rethink their approach.
France is set to become the first European country to implement an age restriction, when its social media ban comes into force for under 15s on Sept. 1. A continent-wide ban could follow. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has pledged to introduce EU-wide restrictions, while 10 EU countries are drafting their own social media bans, including Greece, Sweden, Portugal, and Spain.
