India, Sept. 18 -- The European Commission plans to keep children under 13 off social media across the European Union (EU). Ursula von der Leyen, the Commission's president, set out tiers on Wednesday: no social media below 13, parent-supervised "mini accounts" with limited features until 15, and a legal duty of safe design for platforms serving users aged 15 to 18. The tiers rightly treat a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old as needing different protections. Von der Leyen also said platforms would haveto prove their products are safe, which mattersmore than the age limits. At the outset, the EU plan looks more pragmatic, especially if the experiencesof other regions are taken into account. Australia,the first major economy to embrace such curbs, barred under-16s from social media altogether in December 2025. Its eSafety regulator has sincefound that a substantial proportion of them stillheld accounts. Those who slip through, and older teenagers who are let in, continue to interact withthe addictive features long held as a particular problem for young minds. The Commissioncrucially plans not just to target that design butalso plans fines of up to 6% of turnover. Brussels still has to show it can enforce the rules. Most platforms already claim a minimum ageclose to 13, so the rule will count only if the Commission's age-verification app, meant toconfirm age without revealing identity, works at scale. Member States and the European Parliament must also agree, which could take years. Similar conversations have been had in India where a blanket ban for children is a divisivetopic. Implementation will indeed be a challenge.An approach that compels product designchanges, backed by the threat of fines that trulyhurt, is a promising alternative....