The European Commission has proposed EU-wide social media age rules under the KIDS Act, with independent accounts allowed from age 15
Children under 13 would be barred from social media accounts, while 13- and 14-year-olds could use parent-supervised accounts
The proposal would also require age verification and stronger safeguards against addictive platform design, profiling and potentially harmful AI chatbots and companions
The European Commission has proposed new EU-wide rules restricting children's access to social media, with autonomous accounts allowed only from the age of 15.
Under the proposed KIDS Act, children under 13 would not be allowed to have social media accounts. Those aged 13 and 14 could use limited accounts set up and supervised by a parent or guardian, while users aged 15 and above could create their own accounts.
The rules would apply to social networking and video-sharing services considered to have risky features. Platforms would also have to verify users' ages rather than relying solely on self-declared dates of birth.
Safety By Design
The proposal goes beyond age restrictions, requiring online services used by children to introduce stronger safety measures.
Platforms would be required to limit features such as infinite scrolling, addictive notifications and other designs intended to encourage excessive use. Children's recommender systems would also have to prioritise safety and wellbeing, with restrictions on profiling and personalised recommendations based on tracking.
The rules would also cover online games, AI chatbots and AI companions, as well as app stores. AI companions and chatbots accessible to minors would face safeguards against designs that could encourage emotional dependency.
Age Verification
Platforms would have to verify the age of new users and check existing accounts once the rules take effect.
The Commission said age verification would use privacy-preserving technology that confirms whether a user is above or below a particular age without requiring platforms to receive identity documents.
Existing accounts belonging to users under 15, or whose age cannot be established, would have to be disabled within six months of the rules applying.
Enforcement
The proposal would build on enforcement structures under the EU's Digital Services Act and AI Act.
Very large online platforms, defined as services with at least 45 million monthly active users in the EU, would face additional compliance requirements and independent audits. Fines could reach 6% of a provider's worldwide annual turnover.
The KIDS Act is a proposal for a regulation, meaning it is not yet an enforceable EU-wide law. The Commission is seeking to establish a common framework rather than leaving age restrictions to individual member states.
