The EU KIDS Act is set to introduce new age restrictions and safety requirements for children using social media and other online services across the European Union. The European Commission adopted the proposal on September 18, setting out rules that would prevent children under 13 from accessing social media and establish 15 as the minimum age for minors to open accounts independently.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen discussed the proposal during a high-level dialogue on protecting children’s rights in the face of artificial intelligence, pointing to growing concerns over children’s exposure to online platforms and digital technologies.
EU KIDS Act Introduces Age Restrictions
Under the EU KIDS Act, children under 13 would not be permitted to access social media platforms. Children between 13 and under 15 would also not be allowed to create autonomous accounts.
Instead, users in that age group could access mini accounts managed through a parent or guardian’s account. These accounts would provide access to age-appropriate social media and video-sharing services, while including restrictions on social contacts and screen time.
The proposal sets a limit of up to 60 minutes of screen time per day for these accounts. Parents would have the ability to reduce the permitted time.
Children between 3 and under 13 would not be allowed to access social media. However, they could use specially designed child-friendly video-sharing services through guardian-managed accounts. Parents would also receive tools to restrict an adult device to those services when it is given to a child, with usage limited to a maximum of one hour per day.
Platforms Would Face Greater Safety Responsibility
A key part of the EU KIDS Act is a proposed shift in the burden of proof. Under the proposal, online platforms and service providers would have to demonstrate that their services are safe by design and appropriate for younger users.
Von der Leyen said the current process under the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act can take months to assess whether algorithms are harming children, followed by discussions with platforms and further changes.
She argued that the process can take several years before penalties are imposed, while children may continue to be exposed to potentially harmful algorithms during that period.
The proposed approach would instead place responsibility on platforms to prove that their services are safe for children. If they cannot demonstrate this, they would not receive access to children under the proposed framework.
EU Raises Concerns Over Children’s Online Exposure
During her speech, von der Leyen cited figures from the July Eurobarometer, saying 92% of Europeans surveyed believe more should be done to protect children online.
She also said young people in Europe spend an average of four to six hours a day on screens, while those who began using them before the age of 10 spend around seven to eight hours online.
Von der Leyen said many digital platforms are designed to capture users’ attention and monetise it, while not necessarily being developed with children’s wellbeing and development in mind.
The European Commission had previously convened a panel of experts for six months, including representatives from civil society, parent organisations and youth groups, to examine possible measures.
The EU KIDS Act now proposes a framework focused on age restrictions, parental supervision and greater responsibility for online service providers. Von der Leyen said the issue is not simply whether children should access social media, but how and when digital services should be allowed to reach them.
