Leaked "EU Kids Act" To Introduce Age Verification for Online Games, AI, and Social Media

The European Union is drafting an "EU Kids Act" that would require age verification to access online games, AI services, and social media, according to a report by Euractiv citing a copy of the draft legislation. The draft cites data that children who started using social media before age 10 report 7.5 hours of weekend day screen time versus 5.7 hours among those who started after age 14, and flags risks from generative AI deepfakes, chatbot advice, and personal data misuse by TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X. The act argues current EU frameworks are insufficient to protect users from these dangers.

Following the passage of similar age verification laws https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/blizzards-battle-net-gets-online-age-verification-in-uk.351066/ in parts of the US https://www.techpowerup.com/349339/california-and-colorado-age-verification-laws-get-open-source-os-exemptions-steamos-enforcement-still-likely , UK, and Australia https://www.techpowerup.com/352528/steam-age-verification-causes-headaches-in-some-regions , it appears as though the EU will soon require netizens to verify their age online before being allowed to access certain content, according to a report by Euractiv https://www.euractiv.com/news/gamers-will-have-to-prove-their-age-under-eu-kids-act/ . The publication claims to have a copy of draft legislation that would require age verification in order to access a number of online services. As with most similar laws, the upcoming EU Kids Act has a fairly wide scope, setting its sights on everything from AI and social media to video games. The new law is presented as necessary due to mental health concerns for children and adolescents. It cites data that shows that children who started using social media before the age of 10 "report 7.5 hours of weekend day screen time, compared to 5.7 hours among those who started after age 14," in addition to concerns of social pressures and risks of isolation, concentration and learning issues, and distressing online content. The act goes on to mention generative AI and the dangers surrounding the possibility of AI-generated deepfakes or dangerous advice given by chatbots, in addition to misuse of personal data by platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X, as well as their related AI services. It claims that the current EU frameworks and legislature are insufficient to protect users against these dangers.