Tim Cook and Ursula von der Leyen discuss EU Kids Act

Apple Executive Chairman Tim Cook met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in New York during the UN General Assembly. The discussion focused on the EU Kids Act, a recent legislative proposal aimed at enhancing digital safety and privacy for minors.

The EU Kids Act seeks to implement strict protections for children online, including setting a digital age of majority at 15 and prohibiting accounts for those under 13. The proposal targets social media, online gaming, artificial intelligence, and app stores. Key measures include banning infinite scrolling for minors, blocking notifications during sleep hours, and requiring default private profiles.

Under the proposed rules, platforms would be responsible for proving their services are safe by design. Compliance failures could result in fines of up to 6% of a company’s annual global turnover. The meeting follows Apple’s recent engagement with various world leaders regarding digital safety and regulatory compliance.