EU Unveils Sweeping Kids Act to Ban Social Media for Under-13s

The European Commission has introduced the EU Kids Act, representing the most comprehensive legislative effort to date to restrict minors’ access to social media platforms. If enacted, the legislation would prohibit children under the age of 13 from using social media and mandate parental supervision for 13- and 14-year-olds. Individuals would only be permitted to open independent accounts upon reaching the age of 15.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the growing body of evidence regarding the detrimental effects of social media on developing brains and personalities. She stated that the regulation aims to hold tech companies accountable, noting that platforms have previously disregarded children’s mental health. “An age limit does not mean letting tech companies off the hook,” she said, adding that the proposal seeks to reverse the burden of proof placed on regulators.

Under the new rules, children under 13 would remain barred from standard social media but could access specially designed, child-friendly video-sharing services via guardian-managed accounts. These “mini accounts” would enforce strict safeguards, including a maximum of one hour of daily screen time and parental controls over content. Similarly, users aged 13 and 14 would be granted supervised access through sub-accounts featuring limited social interactions and a one-hour daily screen time cap.

The act also targets addictive platform mechanics, marking one of the first attempts to force the removal of features such as recommendation algorithms that lead minors into harmful content cycles. Additional prohibited elements include infinite scrolling, unsolicited contact from strangers, and nighttime push notifications. Furthermore, AI chatbots would be required to default to an off position and would be banned from fostering emotional dependency.

Implementing robust age verification remains a critical and difficult component of the proposal. The EU mandates that platforms verify ages when new accounts are created, utilizing “reasonable proxies” such as credit card details for existing users. Apps are required to use age assurance tools that do not store biometric data or identity documents, potentially leveraging the upcoming EU age verification app.

Enforcement would operate under the framework of the Digital Services Act (DSA), with non-compliant companies facing penalties of up to six percent of their global annual turnover. The Commission outlined a fast-track 90-day enforcement procedure, urging swift adoption given the scale of the issue. With a population of approximately 450 million, the EU would impose the widest-reaching social media age restrictions globally if the law passes.

However, the legislation faces significant hurdles. France’s highest court previously struck down a similar ban for children under 15, ruling it infringed upon freedom of expression. Industry leaders have also raised concerns; Bernhard Rohleder, CEO of Germany’s BITKOM, cited age verification as a persistent technical challenge and argued that parallel regulations to the DSA are unnecessary and problematic. Major tech firms, including Meta, have not yet issued public statements on the proposal.