EU Plans Sweeping Child Online Safety Rules

The European Union has announced the proposed EU Kids Act, legislation intended to restrict social media access for children and strengthen online safety across all member states. Under the plan, children under 13 would be barred from accessing social media platforms. Those aged 13 to 15 would be limited to one hour a day and would use “mini accounts” connected to a parent or guardian’s account. Only people aged 15 and over would be permitted to create independent social media accounts. The rules would apply not only to TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, but also to YouTube, other video-sharing services, online games and artificial-intelligence chatbots. Platforms would have to demonstrate that their services were safe by design, including avoiding toxic, addictive or manipulative features. Companies that failed to comply could face fines of up to 6% of their global sales, as well as requirements to submit detailed child-safety plans. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the legislation would give parents greater control and help children navigate the internet more safely. The proposal reflects concerns about bullying, permanent digital records and evidence that features such as infinite scrolling, autoplay and personalised recommendations may encourage compulsive use among young people. The proposal must still be approved by EU member states and the European Parliament. It may face opposition over enforcement, freedom of expression and privacy, particularly because age verification could require users to prove their age. The Commission says its existing age-verification app would not collect or share personal data. The EU plan would replace conflicting national measures, including initiatives in France and Spain. Its development has been influenced by Australia’s under-16 social-media ban and a planned UK restriction, although Australia has struggled to enforce its policy. Technology companies, including Meta, are expected to oppose or seek changes to the proposed rules as negotiations continue.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed stricter rules to protect children from risks associated with social media and other online services. The plan would seek to prevent children under 13 from accessing platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram, establishing what von der Leyen described as an age-appropriate starting point for joining social media. The proposal is part of a reform of the EU Kids Act and reflects similar initiatives in Australia, the United Kingdom, China, India, Turkey, and several European countries, amid growing concern about social media’s effects on children’s mental health and development. The proposed rules would give parents greater control over accounts used by children aged 13 to 15. They would also apply stricter requirements to social media platforms, video-streaming services, online video games, and chatbots aimed at people under 18. Platforms could be prohibited from using features considered addictive, including infinite scrolling and autoplay. Algorithmic recommendations, personalized profiling, reward-based engagement systems, and unsolicited contact from strangers would also face restrictions. The European Parliament has additionally called for child-safe designs and algorithms, simple parental controls, and stronger age-verification systems. Companies that fail to comply could be fined up to 6% of their global annual revenue and would be expected to devote more resources to content supervision and moderation. The proposal has prompted criticism from CCIA Europe, a technology-industry group representing companies including Google and Meta. The organization warned that collecting age information, identity documents, and data connecting children with parents could create significant privacy and cybersecurity risks. It also argued that the EU Kids Act may overlap with existing European laws, producing regulatory duplication and potentially weakening protections. The initiative must still be debated by EU member states and the European Parliament before it can become law.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a broad package of measures to protect children from online risks, including a ban on social media access for children under 13. The proposal, known as the EU Kids Act, would also require online platforms to create safer accounts and environments for young users. Under the plan, children aged 13 to 15 would use accounts subject to parental control. Social media platforms, video-sharing services, online video games, AI companions and chatbots intended for users under 18 would face restrictions on potentially harmful features. These would include addictive design elements, profiling-based recommendation feeds, infinite scrolling, reward mechanisms and unsolicited contact from strangers. AI companions and chatbots would have to be disabled by default. Platforms would be required to develop child-safe algorithms, provide accessible parental controls, and offer tools to block or mute other users. They would also need to verify users’ ages through age-assurance systems. Companies that failed to comply could face fines of up to 6 per cent of their global annual revenue, as well as supervisory fees to fund regulators. The initiative follows similar measures or proposals in Australia, Britain, China, India, Turkey and several EU countries. However, Australia’s difficulties enforcing its under-16 social media ban suggest that implementing the European plan could be challenging. The proposal must still be negotiated by EU member states and the European Parliament before it can become law. Tech industry group CCIA Europe, which represents companies including Google and Meta, criticized the plan, warning that the collection of age, identity and parental-linking data could create privacy and cybersecurity risks. It also argued that overlapping EU legal requirements could complicate enforcement and weaken child and consumer protections.