The European Union has formally proposed the EU Kids Act, a new legislative framework designed to curb children’s exposure to social media in an effort to enhance youth wellbeing and online safety.
Under the graduated restrictions, children under the age of 13 would be entirely prohibited from accessing social media platforms. Those between 13 and 15 would be permitted one hour of daily use through restricted “mini accounts,” which must be established and managed via a parent or guardian’s account.
Only adolescents aged 15 and older would be eligible to create independent social media profiles. Additionally, the European Commission stated that digital platform providers would be required to demonstrate that their services are safe by design.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen championed the move, stating it aims to return control to families. She described the legislation as providing parents with the necessary tools to help children navigate a safer digital environment, effectively putting them “back in the driving seat.”
The policy was officially outlined on Thursday, following its initial introduction in the Commission president’s address to the European Parliament the previous day. Von der Leyen had previously argued in May that establishing a minimum age for social media use could no longer be postponed.
This EU-wide initiative follows similar moves by individual member states, with France and Spain already announcing their own plans to restrict youth social media access.
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