European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has revealed that the commission is considering a proposal for the "EU Kids Act," which includes establishing minimum age requirements for social media and prohibiting addictive design patterns to protect children's online activities.
PolicyEuropean CommissionUrsula von der Leyen
EU Considers "EU Kids Act" to Limit Children's Use of Social Media and AI Chatbots
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The proposed legislation aims to include not only social media and video-sharing services but also online games, AI chatbots, and AI companions. Specifically, restrictions are being considered that would ban social media use for children under 13 years old, while allowing children aged 13 and 14 to use such services only under parental supervision. Furthermore, it is reported that the draft includes a proposal to prohibit the use of these services entirely for those under 3 years old.
Regarding service providers, the policy aims to mandate the implementation of effective age verification mechanisms and require the avoidance of addictive designs intended to keep users online for long periods, as well as feeds that display harmful content. For AI services, a structure is being considered that imposes different obligations depending on the type of service and the age of the user.
The EU Kids Act aims to unify regulations that currently vary across EU member states into a single standard across the EU. It is scheduled to be formally presented by the European Commission on 2026-09-17, after which discussions by EU member states and the European Parliament are expected to take place.