European Commission Proposes 'EU KIDS Act' to Ban Social Media Accounts for Under-13s and Restrict Access Up to Age 15

In a sweeping move to protect minors from digital addiction and toxic online algorithms, the European Commission has unveiled the proposed 'EU KIDS Act' (Keeping Internet Digital Spaces Accountable and Trustworthy). Announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her address in Strasbourg, the draft legislation sets an EU-wide baseline for youth safety across all 27 member states, directly targeting social media giants, video-sharing services, AI companions, and online gaming networks. Under the four-pillar framework, children under the age of 13 will be strictly prohibited from creating independent social media accounts. For teenagers between the ages of 13 and under 15, access will only be permitted through guardian-supervised "mini accounts" equipped with custom privacy guardrails and strict time limits. Autonomous account creation will only be allowed from age 15 onward, and even then, platforms must maintain a "safe-by-design" environment for minors up to age 18. This includes banning addictive mechanics like infinite scrolling, autoplay loops, and manipulative recommendation engines. Crucially, the KIDS Act reverses the legal burden of proof onto tech providers, requiring companies to verify their platforms are age-appropriate before exposing minors to their services. Platforms will also be required to implement mandatory age assurance mechanisms and pay a supervisory fee to fund Commission enforcement, with potential non-compliance fines reaching up to 6 percent of a company's total worldwide annual turnover.