EU proposes social media ban for children under 13

Children under 13 would be barred from social media across the EU under a plan announced Wednesday by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Thirteen- and 14-year-olds could use only limited accounts set up and supervised by a parent or guardian, with a one-hour daily limit.

“No social media under the age of 13. No personal account under the age of 15,” von der Leyen told the European Parliament. Teenagers aged 15 to 17 would be allowed their own accounts, but platforms would have to meet new child-safety requirements. Major social networks already set 13 as their minimum age; the EU plan would make that threshold part of a bloc-wide law.

The proposed EU Kids Act also takes aim at features that keep young users on those platforms. It calls for restrictions on endless scrolling, autoplay and notifications designed to pull minors back into an app. “We do not have to accept addictive features,” von der Leyen said.

The plan reaches online games and AI chatbots, too, but sets different requirements for those services. Games would need safeguards against compulsive use and unsafe contact with other players. AI companions and chatbots would have to avoid designs likely to foster emotional dependence in minors. Platforms would also have to verify users’ ages through certified EU-approved methods.

The Commission is expected to formally present the Kids Act on Thursday.