The Portuguese parliament approved on first reading today a bill that requires explicit parental consent for access to social networks by children aged 13 to 16, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
The petitioners from the ruling Social Democratic Party say the measure is necessary to protect children from cyberbullying, harmful content and individuals who use the Internet and social networks to lure minors.
It is planned to use a system through which parents will give consent for registration and access. It will also help enforce existing bans on children under 13 using social media, video and image sharing platforms or online gambling sites.
The bill could be subject to changes before final approval.
Last month, the lower house of the French parliament also backed legislation to ban children under 15 from using social media amid growing concerns about online bullying and mental health risks. The world's first such national ban on users under 16, covering major social media platforms, came into effect in Australia in December.