EU plans phased social media restrictions for children
The proposed EU Kids Act links age limits to parental supervision, time limits and age verification.
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The European Commission wants to deny children under thirteen access to social media. For thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds, Brussels proposes restricted parent-managed accounts, while from the age of fifteen an independent account should be possible.
The plans are set out in the proposal for the EU Kids Act, which the European Commission presented in September. The rules would apply not only to social media, but also to video platforms, online games, and AI companions and chatbots used by minors.
Children under thirteen would not be given access to social media services. Between the ages of thirteen and fifteen, parents or guardians would be able to manage a so-called mini-account. The Commission cites limited functions and a time limit of one hour a day as part of the proposed model.
From the age of fifteen, young people would be able to open an independent account under the proposal. At the same time, the Commission wants to require platforms to design their services more safely. This includes protection against harmful recommendations, better reporting options and greater control over what users see.
Age verification will be an important part of implementation. The Commission has developed a European application which, it says, can confirm age without storing identity documents or biometric data. Member states must make a European solution available by the end of 2026 at the latest, through a digital identity wallet, a stand-alone application or both.
The plans are not yet law. They are a proposal that must be considered by the European Parliament and the member states. The precise scope, exceptions and technical obligations may change during that process.
The debate is therefore not only about child protection, but also about privacy and enforcement. Supporters see age verification and restrictions as a way to curb addictive design and harmful content. Critics fear that control mechanisms could nevertheless create new data flows, or that young people could move to services beyond the reach of European rules.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The European Commission has proposed age-based access to social media.
- The proposal also covers video platforms, online games and AI chatbots.
- EU legislation has not yet been definitively adopted.
Left
Arguments Children must be protected from services that commercially exploit attention and data. Platforms must adapt their design and not place all responsibility on parents.
Values Children’s rights, public health, privacy and protection against the concentration of power among Big Tech.
Consequences Stricter rules could limit harmful patterns, but public oversight would be needed to prevent new forms of surveillance.
Centre
Arguments A European baseline prevents fragmented national rules, but the measure must remain proportionate, reviewable and technically feasible.
Values Legal certainty, privacy, European cooperation and the protection of minors.
Consequences A common age-verification solution could give businesses clarity, while exceptions and oversight would need to be worked out carefully.
Right
Arguments Parents should primarily decide what their children do online. European age verification must not develop into a general identification requirement for internet use.
Values Parental authority, personal freedom, subsidiarity and restraint in the use of centralised control.
Consequences Overly broad rules could hinder innovation and free communication; targeted obligations for platforms would be preferable.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The key information was checked against the European Commission, EUR-Lex and Associated Press. The text explicitly states that this is a proposal and does not present the technical implementation as completed policy.
- confirmed The European Commission proposed the EU Kids Act in September 2026. — The Commission published the proposal on 17 September 2026. source
- confirmed Children under thirteen would not be given access to social media. — This is stated in the summary of the Commission proposal. source
- confirmed Parent-managed mini-accounts and a time limit are proposed for thirteen- to fifteen-year-olds. — The Commission refers to parental management, limited functions and one hour a day. source
- confirmed Member states must make a European age-verification solution available by the end of 2026 at the latest. — This follows from the European recommendation on age verification. source
Editor's note
The age limits and the mini-account are components of a legislative proposal, not definitive rules. The technical application for age verification exists according to the Commission, but its final implementation depends on European decision-making and national rollout.Sources
- EU KIDS Act: helping children navigate a safer online world — Europese Commissie
- Proposal for a Regulation on the EU KIDS Act — EUR-Lex
- EU chief proposes bloc-wide social media ban for kids under 13 — Associated Press