WhatsApp, Facebook & Co: These apps are becoming illegal for many users, says the “Special magazine Chip” on its website.
Is that correct? Will there be a ban on WhatsApp, Facebook and Co?
No, not actually, there may be a bigger discussion in one family or another as to why Junior now wants to be involved in a certain social network, but basically the new regulations will make access more difficult at best, but not illegal, unless the kids discover it their criminal potential and gain entry without their parents' knowledge.
The fact is that there is a data protection reform in the EU that will come into force in 2018.
In addition to many other adjustments intended to improve the general data protection of EU citizens, there are also changes in the area of children and young people. This affects, among others, the social networks (hereinafter with the age restriction specified by the operator):
From the age of 13
Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Kik, tumblr, Printerest, Google account
From the age of 16
Whatsapp, Lovoo
From the age of 17
Vine
From the age
different, films with a warning only from 18 - YouTube
No age restrictions
Twitter, Twitch.tv
New regulations from 2018
Unless EU countries have their own regulations, access to the networks should be possible from the age of 16 or with parental consent. How this will be regulated organizationally and how parents can give their consent has not been worked out, so the problem is happily passed on to the operators. But only if there are no country-specific regulations. So Brussels failed to create a unified internal market.
Children and social media: Children under a certain age need parental consent to open a social media account, such as Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat. This is already common practice in most EU countries. The new, flexible rules give Member States leeway when it comes to age limits (although this must be a minimum of 13 and a maximum of 16 years). This flexibility was maintained at the urgent request of Member States. Parliament's negotiating team would have preferred an EU-wide age limit of 13 years.
The new EU regulations should come into effect from 2018, so there is actually enough time for the countries without their own regulations to create their own regulations and thus create equality for young people in the EU. Just imagine: a boy meets a lovely girl in a distant country during a family vacation. He's not on FB yet because he's not yet 16 and his parents are still a little suspicious of this newfangled stuff. Drama!
More media literacy would be better
Of course, the new regulation is debatable; it would have been better to promote the media literacy of children and young people, to improve their interaction with and in the networks, instead of simply putting a “from 16” cap on it, because let's be honest, how many parents will have theirs Deny children access to a network that their friends are on?
The most important changes due to the new regulations:
- Processing of data only after express consent: The user should become the master of his data. He should also be able to easily withdraw his consent.
- Children and social media: Children under a certain age need parental consent to open a social media account, such as Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat. This is already common practice in most EU countries. The new, flexible rules give Member States leeway when it comes to age limits (although this must be a minimum of 13 and a maximum of 16 years). This flexibility was maintained at the urgent request of Member States. Parliament's negotiating team would have preferred an EU-wide age limit of 13 years.
- Right to be forgotten: Consumers should have to give their consent, but they should also be able to withdraw it just as easily. They receive a “right to be forgotten”, which means a right to have their personal data deleted from company storage at their request.
- Data leaks or “hacked” data: In the event of personal data breaches, providers must inform the relevant authorities as quickly as possible so that users can take appropriate action.
- Plain language: MPs have insisted that the new rules must abolish the practice of “fine print”. Consumers should be informed in clear, understandable language and with easy-to-understand symbols before the data is stored;
- Penalties: If companies violate the rules, they face penalties of up to four percent of annual turnover;
- Companies must appoint data protection officers: Companies must appoint a data protection officer if they process sensitive data on a large scale or monitor the behavior of large numbers of consumers. SMEs are exempt from this rule unless data processing is their main activity.
- Single points of contact for complaints and enforcement of the new rules: National data protection authorities will be strengthened and will become central points of contact for citizens to lodge their complaints about violations of data protection rules. Cooperation between these national authorities should be significantly strengthened to ensure uniform protection of personal data across the Union.
Sources:
EU data protection reform: More rights for Europe's internet users
EU Parliament approves data protection reform
EU reform: Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat & Co. only for ages 16 and up
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