EU Commission proposes social media ban for children under 13
The proposal shifts safety checks to platforms and gives parents new controls, with 13- to 15-year-olds limited to one hour a day.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a new Kids Act on Thursday to ban social media for children under 13 across the European Union, requiring platforms to prove their services are safe for minors.
- Individual European Union member states have already introduced social media limits on teenagers, reflecting a global push toward stricter regulation; Australia became the first country worldwide to ban social media for children under 16 in December 2025.
- The proposal introduces "mini accounts" for 13-15 year olds with parental supervision and limited features, capped at one hour daily. Platforms must demonstrate their environments are safe for minors to comply.
- EU member nations will now vote on the proposal, which could spark tensions with President Donald Trump, who has long criticized European tech regulations. Legal experts call the act a potential "new EU behemoth."
- Critics warn policymakers should avoid one-size-fits-all solutions for digital safety, as some students and experts argue parental involvement and responsible platform design are equally important as age restrictions. Implementation could take years pending individual member state approval.
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Following the announcement of an EU-wide social media age limit in her State of the Union speech, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Strasbourg, together with the relevant EU Commissioner Henna Virkkunen, presented the concrete legislative proposal, the "KIDS ACT". The proposal prohibits access to social media platforms for children under 13; from 15 years of age, minors are allowed to open their own accounts.
BRUSSELS. No own social media before the age of 13 and only "mini-accounts" with parental controls for young people under 15. This is what the European Commission is proposing in a new children's law, which could come into effect in Sweden within a couple of years.
The Independent
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Ursula von der Leyen wants social media to be banned for under-13s across Europe
EU Draws Hard Line on Youth Screen Time With Tiered Social Media Ban
The European Union plans to ban social media for children under 13 and restrict 13-14 year olds to parent-supervised mini accounts with one-hour daily limits. The EU Kids Act flips responsibility onto platforms to prove safety by design. Age verification and extended rules for games and AI chatbots add complexity. Privacy concerns loom large as implementation begins.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to ban social media for children under 13 years of age. For 13- and 14-year-olds, supervised mini-accounts with limited time are provided, own accounts only from 15 years of age.
And he proposed that the minimum age be set at 15 to open an account independently.
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