The European Commission is set to unveil the EU KIDS Act on Thursday, a proposal aimed at tightening protections for minors online and limiting how children under 15 access social media and video platforms. According to draft documents seen by POLITICO, the plan does not amount to a blanket ban on social media for younger users. Instead, it would introduce a tiered account structure based on age.
Children under 13 would only be allowed to open accounts under full parental control. Users aged 13 to 15 would be offered beginner accounts with restrictions on contact from strangers, screen-time limits, and parental controls. Once users turn 15, they would be able to register accounts on their own.
The proposal would apply to platforms including TikTok and Instagram, while also covering video-sharing services, online games, AI chatbots, and AI companions. Educational tools would be excluded. The draft also calls for age-verification technology on social media and video platforms, along with a supervisory framework modeled on the Digital Services Act and the AI Act. The European Commission would oversee high-risk companies and services. The proposal may still change before publication and would still need negotiations with EU member states and the European Parliament.
The European Commission plans to publish the EU KIDS Act on Thursday, a proposal that would limit access to social media and video platforms for users under 15 and require products such as social media services, online games, and AI chatbots to build stronger protections for minors into their design.
According to draft documents seen by POLITICO, the plan is not a blanket ban on social media use for children under 15. It would instead create a tiered account system based on age.
Age-based account tiers are part of the proposal
The draft says children under 13 could open accounts only under full parental control. Users between 13 and 15 would be allowed to use beginner accounts with limits on contact from strangers, screen-time controls, and parental supervision features. Once they turn 15, users would be able to register accounts independently.
Rules would reach social platforms, games, and AI chatbots
The proposed law would cover social platforms including TikTok and Instagram. It would also extend to video-sharing platforms, online games, AI chatbots, and AI companions. Educational tools would be outside the scope.
Age checks and a new oversight framework are also planned
The draft also calls for social media and video platforms to deploy age-verification technology. It would set up a regulatory system similar to those used under the Digital Services Act and the AI Act, with the European Commission overseeing high-risk companies and services.
The proposal could still change. After its formal release, it would still need negotiations with EU member-state governments and the European Parliament. Several European countries have also been pushing restrictions on minors' use of social media in recent months.
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