EU Kids Act: Proposed ban on social media for children under 13

EU Kids Act social media regulation age verification child online safety digital protection

The European Commission has introduced the EU Kids Act, a legislative proposal designed to strengthen digital protections for minors across the European Union. The regulation targets social media platforms, video-sharing services, online gaming, and AI-driven services like chatbots.

Under the proposal, children under 13 would be prohibited from accessing social media. Those aged 13 to 15 could use supervised 'mini accounts' with restricted features, such as limited daily screen time (maximum one hour) and restricted social contacts. Independent account management would only be permitted for users aged 15 and older.

To enforce these age limits, the EU proposes a decentralized, privacy-focused age verification system. This system aims to confirm a user's age through national authorities—such as banks or digital identity providers—without requiring the collection or storage of sensitive personal data like full names or birth dates.

Furthermore, the Act mandates 'safety by design' principles, requiring platforms to disable addictive features like infinite scrolling, automatic video playback, and intrusive push notifications for minors. Tech companies found in violation of these regulations could face significant financial penalties of up to 6% of their annual global revenue.

Entities

Chaos Computer Club · Council of the European Union · EU Kids Act · European Commission · European Parliament · European Union · Henna Virkkunen · Municipality of Ferrara · Ursula von der Leyen

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] Age verification systems must prioritize privacy and data minimization to avoid new risks to children. identityweek.net
[● 7 SOURCES] The regulation targets social media, video platforms, online games, and AI services. www.difesapopolo.it · identityweek.net · www.diritto.it · www.dr-datenschutz.de · hu.euronews.com · +2 more
[● 2 SOURCES] Non-compliant tech companies could face fines up to 6% of their annual global revenue. hu.euronews.com · telegrafi.com
[● 14 SOURCES] The proposal bans social media access for children under 13. www.difesapopolo.it · identityweek.net · www.kalabakacity.gr · www.diritto.it · hu.euronews.com · +9 more
[○ 1 SOURCE] The proposed age verification could lead to a loss of digital participation for minors and privacy risks.
[● 14 SOURCES] The European Commission proposed the EU Kids Act to enhance digital protection for minors. www.difesapopolo.it · identityweek.net · www.kalabakacity.gr · www.diritto.it · www.bl-portal.com · +9 more
[● 10 SOURCES] Children aged 13 to 15 may use restricted 'mini accounts' with parental supervision. identityweek.net · www.kalabakacity.gr · www.diritto.it · hu.euronews.com · telegrafi.com · +5 more
[● 6 SOURCES] Digital platforms must implement 'safety by design' principles. www.difesapopolo.it · www.kalabakacity.gr · www.diritto.it · www.dr-datenschutz.de · www.thecooldown.com · +1 more
[● 4 SOURCES] The proposal includes a ban on addictive features like infinite scroll and autoplay. www.seznamzpravy.cz · hu.euronews.com · telegrafi.com · www.upday.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Age verification will use a decentralized, open-source app to protect privacy. iguru.gr · www.upday.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The EU proposes a decentralized age verification system to protect privacy. iguru.gr · www.upday.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The EU Kids Act aims to ban addictive features like infinite scroll and push notifications for minors. www.seznamzpravy.cz · www.dr-datenschutz.de · hu.euronews.com