The European Union has unveiled plans to restrict social media access for children under 15 as part of a broader effort to strengthen online safety and protect young people from harmful digital content.
Under the proposed EU Kids Act, children below 13 would be prohibited from accessing social media platforms, while those aged 13 to 15 would have limited access of up to one hour a day through “mini accounts” linked to a parent or guardian’s account.
The proposal would apply to major platforms including TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat, as well as YouTube, other video-sharing services, online games and AI chatbots.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the initiative was intended to give parents greater control over their children’s online activities.
“Too many children are being exposed too early to an online world they are not ready to navigate,” she said, citing concerns over cyberbullying, harmful content and the lasting impact of children’s online activities.
Under the proposed rules, only people aged 15 and above would be permitted to create their own social media accounts.
However, von der Leyen stressed that the proposed age restrictions would not remove responsibility from technology companies for protecting children.
She said platforms would be required to demonstrate that their services were safe by design and submit detailed child safety plans.
For users under 18, companies would also be expected to remove features considered toxic or addictive and avoid design practices that could encourage excessive use.
Companies that fail to comply could face fines of up to six per cent of their global annual turnover.
The proposed EU-wide rules would also take precedence over national regulations introduced by individual member states, meaning countries would not be able to opt out if the legislation is adopted.
Several EU countries, including France and Spain, have already considered or introduced measures aimed at restricting children’s access to social media.
France, however, illustrates some of the legal challenges the EU proposal could face. The country’s top court recently blocked legislation seeking to ban social media access for under-15s, citing concerns over freedom of expression. French authorities have since revised the proposal.
The EU initiative is also expected to face concerns over privacy, particularly around age verification.
Critics argue that requiring young people to prove their age could expose them to additional collection or processing of personal information.
The European Commission said age verification would be conducted through an existing EU system and that personal data would not be collected or shared for that purpose.
The proposed legislation must still be negotiated and agreed by EU member states before receiving approval from the European Parliament.
The Commission said the proposal was informed by recommendations from its panel on online child safety, which called for age-appropriate rules recognising that children’s online needs and risks differ across age groups.
It also pointed to EU survey findings showing that 92 percent of respondents considered strengthening children’s protection online a major policy priority.
The Commission said it had also examined Australia’s experience, where social media access for under-16s was restricted last year.
Implementation of the Australian restrictions has faced enforcement challenges, with authorities acknowledging that some children below the minimum age continue to access social media platforms.
The United Kingdom is also preparing to introduce similar restrictions for under-16s, with the measures expected to take effect in spring 2027.
The EU proposal comes amid increasing scrutiny of social media companies over the potential impact of platform design on children and teenagers.
In July, the European Commission said Meta needed to address features on Facebook and Instagram that it considered potentially addictive, including infinite scrolling, autoplay videos and personalised recommendations.
Meta disputed the findings, saying they did not adequately reflect measures it had taken to protect teenagers.
In a separate US case, Meta agreed in August to an $18 billion settlement with states and territories over claims that Facebook and Instagram harmed children. The company denied wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
The EU’s proposed restrictions therefore represent a broader regulatory push to make technology companies more accountable for the way their platforms are designed and used by children.
