New Rules for Children on Social Media

May 12, 2026, 11:00
AustraliaPolitics

Introduction

Ursula von der Leyen is the leader of the European Commission. She wants new laws to stop children from using social media too much.

Main Body

The EU wants to stop children from using apps. Some countries like France and Spain already have age limits. The EU will make a special app to check a person's age. Some apps use tricks to make people stay online for a long time. The EU is angry with Meta, TikTok, and X. These companies do not protect children well. The US and the EU are now angry with each other. The US says the EU is unfair to American companies. The US may charge more money for trade because of this.

Conclusion

The EU wants to keep children safe online. They will make strict rules even if other countries are angry.

Learning

💡 The 'Power' Word: WANT

In this text, we see a very common word used to show a goal or a wish: Want.

How it works:

  • Person →\rightarrow want →\rightarrow Something
  • Person →\rightarrow want →\rightarrow To do something

Examples from the text:

  1. "She wants new laws..." (She wishes for laws)
  2. "The EU wants to stop children..." (The EU has a goal to stop them)

Quick Tip for A2: When talking about one person (He, She, It), always add an -s:

  • I want →\rightarrow He wants
  • You want →\rightarrow She wants
  • They want →\rightarrow It wants

🌍 Who is who? (Groups vs. People)

Look at how the text talks about big groups:

  • The EU (The European Union) →\rightarrow treated as one organization.
  • The US (The United States) →\rightarrow treated as one country.

When we talk about these big groups in the present, we use the same rules as "He" or "She."

  • The EU wants...
  • The US says...

Vocabulary Learning

leader (n.)
a person who is in charge of a group or organization
Example:The leader of the team explained the plan.
commission (n.)
a group of people who work together to make decisions
Example:The commission decided to change the rules.
laws (n.)
rules that are made by the government to keep people safe
Example:The new laws will protect children online.
stop (v.)
to make something finish or to prevent it from happening
Example:They want to stop children from using social media too much.
children (n.)
young people who are not adults
Example:The laws are for children who use social media.
social (adj.)
relating to people and their relationships
Example:Social media helps people stay connected.
media (n.)
ways of communication like TV, radio, or the internet
Example:She watches news on the media.
age (n.)
the number of years a person has lived
Example:The app checks a person's age.
limits (n.)
restrictions that stop something from going beyond a point
Example:There are age limits for using the app.
app (n.)
a small program that works on a phone or computer
Example:She downloaded a new app for learning.
online (adj.)
connected to the internet
Example:He likes to play games online.
strict (adj.)
very careful about rules and not allowing many exceptions
Example:The school has strict rules about cell phones.