BRUSSELS:

The European Union has launched fresh scrutiny of digital giants including Apple, Snapchat and YouTube over online child safety, as Britain moved to tighten oversight of Google's powerful search business in a widening global crackdown on Big Tech.

The European Commission on Friday demanded detailed explanations from major platforms about how they are protecting minors from harmful and illegal content, as 25 of the bloc's 27 member states voiced support for exploring continent-wide restrictions on social-media access for children.

Inspired by Australia's recent move to ban under-16s from social platforms, Brussels is studying whether to impose similar limits across the EU. Only Belgium and Estonia withheld support, with the latter arguing that "digital education and critical th

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