EU KIDS Act: Social media ban for under-13s, 1-hour daily limit for teens
Synopsis
The European Commission has proposed the EU KIDS Act — a landmark digital safety law that would ban children under 13 from social media entirely, cap screen time at one hour a day for 13-to-15-year-olds, and force Big Tech to prove its platforms are safe for children before launch. Non-compliance could cost platforms up to 6% of their global annual turnover.
Key Takeaways
The European Commission proposed the EU KIDS Act , banning children under 13 from social media entirely.
Children aged 13–15 would be limited to parent-supervised accounts with a one-hour daily screen time cap.
AI companions and chatbots would be disabled by default for minors and barred from simulating emotional relationships.
Platforms must prove services are 'safe by design' and submit compliance plans for independent auditing before launch.
Fines for violations could reach 6 per cent of a company's total worldwide annual turnover.
The proposal has been submitted to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU for approval.
The European Commission on Thursday, 18 September 2025, proposed sweeping new restrictions on children's access to social media under the proposed EU KIDS Act, including an outright ban for children under 13 and a minimum age of 15 for minors to open independent accounts. The Brussels-based executive body submitted the proposal to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU for consideration and approval, with potential fines for non-compliant platforms reaching 6 per cent of a company's total worldwide annual turnover.
What the EU KIDS Act Proposes
Under the draft legislation, children aged between 13 and 15 would be permitted only limited social media accounts, created through a parent or guardian's existing account. These supervised accounts would carry hard restrictions on social contacts and cap screen time at one hour per day. Children below 13 would be barred from social media platforms entirely.
The proposal extends beyond social media to cover video-sharing services, online video games, AI companions, and chatbots used by minors, all of which would be required to be 'safe by design.' Notably, AI companions and chatbots would be disabled by default for minors and prohibited from simulating interpersonal relationships in ways that could foster emotional dependency.
Addictive Features in the Crosshairs
The Act specifically targets design patterns widely criticised by child safety advocates. Infinite scrolling, certain reward mechanisms, and push notifications during sleeping hours would all be restricted. Profiles of minors would have to be set to private by default, with geolocation, camera, and microphone access switched off automatically.
This comes amid mounting international pressure on Big Tech over the mental health impact of algorithmic feeds on young users — a debate that has already produced age-restriction legislation in Australia and several US states.
Age Verification and Platform Accountability
The proposal mandates that online services and app stores introduce age-assurance mechanisms. The Commission indicated that its own EU age-verification app could fulfil this requirement without retaining identity documents or biometric data, addressing longstanding privacy concerns around age-gating.
Crucially, the draft legislation reverses the burden of proof for very large online platforms, requiring providers — rather than regulators — to demonstrate that their services are safe for children. Platforms would be required to submit compliance plans for independent auditing before rolling out relevant services or features.
What Commission President Von der Leyen Said
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the proposal was designed to put parents 'back in the driving seat' and to compel platforms to prove their services are safe by design. Enforcement would build on existing mechanisms under the Digital Services Act and the Artificial Intelligence Act.
What Happens Next
The proposal now moves to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, where it will be debated and amended before any vote. If passed, non-compliant platforms face fines of up to 6 per cent of their total global annual turnover — a figure that, for the world's largest social media companies, would run into billions of euros. The timeline for final adoption remains subject to the legislative process, though the Commission has signalled urgency given growing evidence of harm to minors online.
Point of View
Regulators have had to prove harm; under this proposal, platforms must prove safety before launch. That is a fundamental shift in regulatory logic, not just a tightening of rules. The 6% global turnover penalty mirrors the GDPR's enforcement architecture, which suggests Brussels has learned from past experience: without credible financial risk, compliance remains optional. The open question is whether the EU's age-verification technology can deliver privacy-safe identity checks at scale — if it cannot, the law risks becoming a compliance theatre exercise that protects no child and burdens every developer.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the EU KIDS Act?
The EU KIDS Act is a proposed European Commission regulation that would ban children under 13 from social media, restrict those aged 13–15 to parent-supervised accounts with a one-hour daily screen time limit, and require platforms to prove their services are safe for children before launch. It also targets addictive design features such as infinite scrolling and sleep-hour push notifications.
What age restrictions does the EU KIDS Act introduce?
Children under 13 would be barred from social media entirely. Those aged 13 to 15 could only access limited accounts set up through a parent or guardian, with restrictions on social contacts and a one-hour daily screen time cap. Children aged 15 and above would be the minimum age to open an independent account.
What fines do platforms face for non-compliance?
Non-compliant platforms face fines of up to 6 per cent of their total worldwide annual turnover. Enforcement would build on existing mechanisms under the Digital Services Act and the Artificial Intelligence Act.
How would age verification work under the proposal?
Online services and app stores would be required to introduce age-assurance mechanisms. The European Commission said its own EU age-verification app could be used to verify a child's age without retaining identity documents or biometric data, addressing privacy concerns around age-gating.
What happens to AI chatbots and companions used by minors?
AI companions and chatbots would be disabled by default for minors under the proposal. They would also be prohibited from simulating interpersonal relationships in ways that could create emotional dependency in young users.
