The European Union is reportedly preparing sweeping new restrictions that would limit children under 15 from accessing social media, AI chatbots, online games and other major digital platforms.
The proposal is part of the EU Kids Act, which European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen are expected to present on Thursday. The plan would introduce different levels of access based on a child’s age and place new requirements on tech companies operating across the EU.
The proposal comes amid growing scrutiny over how major online platforms affect children. Services including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and ChatGPT have faced questions over child safety, age verification and potentially addictive features.
EU proposal would introduce age-based accounts #
Under the proposal, children would be able to create their own accounts from age 15. Children aged 13 and 14 could instead have parents create introductory accounts for social media and video-sharing platforms. These accounts would be subject to parental controls, limited contacts, and strict time limits.
For children between 3 and 12, parents would fully control accounts, which would be restricted to child-friendly services that meet strict safety standards. Children under 3 would not be permitted to access the covered services. “The Union’s approach should allow minors to benefit from the huge potential of digital services, while protecting them from abuse and exploitation. It needs to limit the access of tech companies to our children, and not the other way around,” the European Commission document seen by Reuters said.
The rules would extend beyond traditional social media. Video-sharing platforms, AI chatbots and online gaming services would also be covered, although requirements would vary depending on the type of service and the user’s age.
Social media and video-sharing platforms would be required to verify a child’s age when a new account is created. Online gaming platforms would have to verify age before allowing children to download games.
Companies would also be required to avoid addictive design features and harmful feeds while providing parental control tools and simple ways for children to report harmful content.
The proposal would additionally require companies to pay a supervisory fee that would fund enforcement and regulatory oversight.
The details could still change before the EU formally announces the proposal. The European Commission would then need to work with EU member states and the European Parliament on the legislation before it could become law.
The proposal follows recommendations made by an independent panel of experts commissioned by the European Commission earlier this year, which called for age limits and phased access to online platforms for children.
At the time, von der Leyen backed the panel’s approach and said the Commission would assess its recommendations before deciding on formal legislation. The EU Kids Act would now take those plans a step closer to becoming law.