European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a sweeping plan known as the EU Kids Act to protect children from online dangers. The proposal would ban children under 13 from accessing social media, online games, and chatbots across the 27-nation bloc.
Under the new rules, social networks may be required to use age verification tools to prevent those under 15 from creating their own accounts, while older children's access would be routed through their parents' accounts. The commission also intends to curb addictive features, such as infinite scrolling, and requires platforms to design safe children's accounts. Companies that fail to comply with these safety regulations could face hefty fines.
This initiative follows similar efforts in other countries driven by rising concerns over the impact of apps on safety and mental health. Lisa Dittmer, a researcher at Amnesty International, stated that harms have come to outweigh the benefits of social media, arguing for regulation at the design level rather than placing the responsibility solely on parents. However, concerns regarding privacy, parental oversight, and the feasibility of age checks could make the plan difficult to implement.