The European Commission proposed the EU KIDS Act, which introduces EU-wide age restrictions on the use of social media and video platforms.
Children under 13 are to be barred from social media, while creating accounts independently would be allowed only from age 15.
Teenagers aged 13 to 15 will be able to use social media and video platforms only through mini-accounts created and controlled by parents; the number of contacts and usage time will be limited to one hour per day.
For children under 13, only specially designed children's video services are proposed to remain available through parental accounts, also for no more than one hour per day.
The bill bans endless scrolling, algorithmic feeds that lure minors into “rabbit holes” of potentially harmful content, reward systems, and push notifications during sleep; profiles must be private by default, and access to geolocation, camera, and microphone must be disabled.
Platforms will also have to limit unwanted contact from strangers, give children the ability to control recommendation algorithms, including resetting them, and disable by default AI companions and chatbots that cannot imitate interpersonal relationships in order to create emotional dependence.
To verify age, online services and app stores must use special tools, including a European age verification app that does not store documents or biometrics; when new social media and video platform accounts are registered, age will be checked directly, while existing profiles may rely on the account creation date or bank card data.
The largest tech companies must prove on their own that their services are safe for minors, and before launching new features they must submit a compliance plan to the European Commission, which will additionally be checked by an independent auditor; for violations, the maximum fine may amount to 6% of annual global turnover, and the European Commission expects to handle the most serious cases with a final decision within 90 days.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced plans to introduce unified restrictions the day before in her annual State of the Union address, saying that social media mechanisms take away children's sleep and attention and can contribute to anxiety, bullying, and self-harm; in preparing the bill, the European Commission also drew on the experience of Australia, where a nationwide ban on social media for children under 16 has been in force since December 2025, early studies showed its low effectiveness, and 85% of surveyed teenagers continued using social media, after which the authorities announced plans to tighten the legislation.
Similar restrictions are also being prepared by individual EU countries: Greece intends to ban social media for children under 15 starting in early 2027, and such measures are also being discussed in France, Spain, and the Czech Republic; now the European Commission's proposal must be considered by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, and only after approval and adoption can the new rules enter into force.
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