The European Union has proposed sweeping new rules to restrict children's access to social media and make online platforms, video games and AI assistants safer for minors.
AFP reported that the proposed legislation, dubbed the “EU KIDS Act”, would ban children under 13 from accessing social media, while allowing limited and supervised access for teenagers aged 13 and 14.
Under the proposal, children aged 15 and above would be allowed to create social media accounts. Those aged 13 and 14 could use so-called “mini accounts” linked to a parent or guardian's account, according to the European Commission's plan.
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These accounts would come with stricter safeguards, including a proposed one-hour daily screen-time limit, giving parents greater control over how and when children use social media.
The EU also wants platforms to remove features that can encourage excessive use among children. These would include endless scrolling, addictive reward mechanisms and push notifications during sleeping hours, AFP reported.
A key part of the proposal is to make online services safe for children before they are allowed to use them.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc was reversing the burden of proof, meaning platforms would have to demonstrate that their services are safe for children.
The proposed rules would target recommendation systems that rely on profiling and could expose minors to harmful content. They would also seek to restrict unsolicited contact from strangers and make it easier for children to block or mute other users.
Children's accounts would be private by default, while access to features such as location tracking, cameras and microphones would be switched off by default.
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The proposal also extends to AI companions and chatbots. The EU wants AI systems to avoid simulating interpersonal relationships in ways that could create emotional dependency among children.
The move comes amid growing concerns over the impact of social media and online services on children's wellbeing, as well as risks linked to predators, scammers, bullying and harmful content.
However, the proposed KIDS Act is not yet law. It will have to go through negotiations between the European Parliament and EU member states, a process that could take several months before the rules are finalised.
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