The European Commission has proposed banning children under the age of 13 from using social media as part of a broader effort to protect young people from harmful and addictive online experiences.
Under the proposed EU Kids Act, children between 13 and 15 would be allowed to access social platforms only with parental supervision or consent. Online services would also be required to introduce accessible parental controls and stronger age-verification systems.
The legislation would cover social media platforms, video-sharing services, online games, and artificial intelligence chatbots aimed at or accessible to users under 18. Major services such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube could be affected if the proposal becomes law.
Among the practices targeted by the plan are endless scrolling, personalized algorithms designed to maximize engagement, digital rewards that encourage prolonged use, and unsolicited contact from strangers. Platforms could also be required to provide younger users with safer recommendation systems that do not rely on extensive profiling.
Supporters argue that these features are deliberately designed to keep children online for longer periods and can negatively affect their sleep, concentration, mental health, and emotional development. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented the proposal as a necessary response to growing concern among parents, educators, and health professionals.
Technology industry representatives have raised concerns about how platforms would verify users’ ages without collecting excessive personal information. They warn that poorly designed verification systems could create new privacy and cybersecurity risks for children.
Companies that fail to comply with the proposed rules could face penalties of up to 6% of their global annual revenue. However, the measure is not yet law and must still be negotiated and approved by the European Parliament and EU member states.
If adopted, the legislation would represent one of the world’s strongest regulatory attempts to limit children’s exposure to addictive digital features while placing greater responsibility on technology companies for the design of their platforms.
