France, May 13 -- Speaking at a summit on artificial intelligence and children in Copenhagen on Tuesday, von der Leyen said the debate over a minimum age for social media use "can no longer be ignored" as concerns grow about the effects of online platforms on young people's mental health and wellbeing.

The Commission president has asked an expert panel to deliver recommendations by July on how the EU should strengthen protections for minors online, including examining whether a ban or delay in access to social media for younger teenagers should be considered.

"Without pre-empting the panel's findings, I believe we must consider a social media delay," von der Leyen said. "Depending on the results, we could come with a legal proposal this...