The European Commission plans to introduce an EU Kids Act proposal aimed at restricting minors’ access to social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, alongside new safety requirements for online services including video games and AI chatbots.
According to a confidential document shared with Euronews, minors under 15 would be barred from creating accounts on social media and video-sharing platforms without parental approval, while tech companies would be required to implement safety-by-design measures to protect young users.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to outline the legislative proposal during her State of the Union address to the European Parliament, with the official publication scheduled for Thursday.
Several EU member states, including France, Greece, Austria, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands, are currently considering or advancing national legislation on social media restrictions, adding pressure on Brussels to present a unified EU measure and avoid regulatory fragmentation.
In July, a group of experts convened by the EU executive released recommendations on improving online child safety, many of which are reflected in the upcoming draft law.
The document emphasizes that “technology companies bear the primary responsibility for ensuring their products are safe. Parents, not algorithms, should raise Europe’s children.”
Scope
The legislation’s scope extends beyond initial expectations, encompassing other online services deemed potentially harmful to minors, such as video games and AI companions—a move recently requested by Spain and the Netherlands.
The draft EU Kids Act targets social media, video-sharing platforms, and online games due to their specific design risks for minors, as well as AI-powered chatbots and companions labeled as “virtual tools that can provide mental health and personal development advice to minors.”
Services designed for educational use or operated by public authorities, along with AI systems intended for professional or industrial applications, are excluded from the regulation.
Age limitations
The proposal combines safety-by-design requirements for all relevant digital services with minimum age restrictions that apply exclusively to social media and video-sharing platforms.
The age restrictions follow a graduated approach: children under three are entirely barred from accessing social media and other high-risk services. Between ages three and 13, children may use child-friendly platforms under adult supervision. Those aged 13 to 15 gain restricted access to social media and video platforms with limited features and parental oversight. For ages 15 to 18, safety-by-design rules remain in effect even though users in this age group can access platforms without parental consent.
Companies like Meta and Google will need to verify users’ ages when opening new accounts, utilizing an EU-wide age-verification app or alternative national solutions that confirm whether users are above a specific age threshold.
Pro-rata verification will be required for existing accounts, depending on factors such as account subscription duration.
Safety by design
The draft legislation outlines a framework of dos and don’ts that tech companies must follow to ensure their digital services provide a safe, age-appropriate experience for minors.
The bill prohibits design elements such as infinite scrolling, intrusive notifications, and manipulative reward mechanisms. Recommender systems—algorithms determining content visibility—must be engineered to avoid engagement-driven “rabbit holes” and other addictive content patterns.
Default settings should disable risky features, while children’s accounts must default to private mode, preventing unknown users from contacting them. Reporting mechanisms for harmful content must remain easily accessible.
The legislation also mandates the provision of age-appropriate parental control tools.
“These rules and principles will be supplemented by tailored obligations for online games, AI chatbots, and companions, reflecting a co-regulatory model based on industry-led self-regulation,” the document states.
Enforcement
The EU has historically faced criticism for lenient enforcement of its digital regulations, as the rapidly evolving online environment often outpaces public authorities. Consequently, the Commission proposes shifting compliance burdens onto tech companies to demonstrate adherence to child-safety provisions.
Online services already subject to the Digital Services Act’s stricter oversight due to systemic societal risks will need to seek prior authorization from the Commission before introducing new features that could impact children.
Additionally, technology companies would contribute to enforcement costs through supervisory fees.