EU wants to limit social media use for children under 15

The European Commission is preparing new far-reaching rules concerning children’s use of social media. According to a leaked draft, children under 15 will not be able to create accounts without parental approval. At the same time, stricter requirements are proposed for platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, video games, and AI services.

The European Commission is expected to present the so-called EU Kids Act on Thursday, a new legislative proposal to strengthen protections for children online. The information comes from a confidential document obtained by Euronews.

A central part of the proposal is to establish an age limit for social media and video platforms. Children under 15, according to the proposal, will not be able to use platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube without parental approval. Children between 13 and 15 could be granted limited access with fewer features and under parental control.

Even stricter rules are proposed for the youngest children. Those under three years would be entirely prohibited from accessing social media and other digital services deemed to pose particular risks. Children between three and 13 would instead have access only to special child-friendly services under adult supervision.

AI and video games are also included

The rules go beyond social media. The European Commission also wants to introduce requirements for other digital services that may pose risks to children, including video games, AI chatbots, and so-called AI companions.

The Commission specifically highlights services that can offer children advice on mental health and personal development. Educational services and certain systems used by authorities are exempt from the regulations.

Technology companies would also be forced to change how their services are designed. Features such as infinite scrolling, certain reward systems, and artificial notifications are proposed to be banned for children.

Recommendation algorithms would also be regulated. They must be designed so the algorithm does not continue to suggest increasing amounts of content based on previous usage and engagement. By default, children’s accounts should be private and unknown users should not be able to contact them.

Companies will be required to verify age

The proposal also means companies like Meta and Google must verify users’ ages when new accounts are created. This could be done through an EU-wide age verification solution or national systems.

The idea, according to the draft, is that checks should be able to determine whether a person is above or below a certain age threshold without companies having to collect more data than necessary. Even existing accounts could be subject to proportionate checks.

The European Commission also wants to place greater responsibility on tech companies themselves. Companies must more extensively prove that they comply with the rules, and some larger digital services may need approval from the Commission before launching new features that affect children.

Pressure on Brussels from member states

The background is that an increasing number of EU countries are themselves trying to limit children’s access to social media. France, Greece, Austria, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands are working on or considering various forms of national restrictions.

This development has increased pressure on Brussels to create unified regulations instead of allowing each member state to introduce its own age limits and control systems.

Sweden has also discussed restrictions on children’s use of social media. The European Commission’s upcoming proposal could therefore directly affect Swedish children and parents.

The proposal is expected to be presented on Thursday and must then be negotiated between EU countries and the European Parliament before it can become law. The information is still based on the leaked draft, so the details may change.