The European Commission has unveiled a proposal called the Kids Act to prohibit children under the age of 13 from using social media across the European Union. Introduced by President Ursula von der Leyen during a speech in Strasbourg, the initiative seeks to standardize digital safety laws across 27 member states.
The Kids Act's blanket ban for under-13s
The proposed Kids Act would establish a hard age floor for social media access, effectively banning accounts for anyone under 13 . According to the report, the European Commission intends for this framework to synchronize legislation across the EU's digital ecosystem, ensuring that tech companies cannot exploit differing national rules to maintain access for young children.
President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that the European Union must dictate the governing norms for digital spaces rather than leaving such decisions to powerful corporations. By implementing a uniform threshold, the European Commission aims to create a global benchmark for how minors interact with algorithmic platforms.
One-hour daily limits and 'mini-accounts' for 13-year-olds
For adolescents aged 13 and 14, the European Commission is not proposing a total ban but rather a tiered system of "mini-accounts." These accounts would feature restricted capabilities and require strict parental oversight to balance online engagement with child safety. As the source reported, the French president suggested that these specific accounts should be capped at a maximum of one hour of daily usage.
This tiered approach recognizes the developmental difference between a primary-school child and a young teenager. By limiting the features available to 13- and 14-year-olds,the European Commission hopes to shield them from the most exploitative mechanisms of social media while allowing a controlled transition into digital adulthood.
Australia's 2025 under-16 ban and the EU's regulatory race
The European Union's move follows a growing global trend of aggressive digital intervention. In December 2025, Australia became the first nation to implement a ban preventing citizens under 16 from opening new social media accounts. within Europe, France attempted a similar move in July by banning children under 15, though that specific law was later overturned by the Constitutional Court.
The Kids Act arrives as other member states, including Spain, Denmark, and Sweden, pursue their own individual safety regulations.. by creating a single, bloc-wide rulebook, the European Commission hopes to avoid the fragmented legal landscape that has previously complicated compliance for tech firms operating across European borders .
Shifting the burden of proof for EU market access
A pivotal element of the Kids Act is the reversal of regulatory responsibility. Rather than regulators proving a platform is unsafe, the new act mandates that digital platforms must demonstrate their safety for minors before they are granted market access. Lauro Fava, a partner at Pinsent Masons, has compared the Kids Act to other "EU behemoths" like the AI Act and the Digital Services Act.
This regulatory philosophy extends to the European Commission's broader AI strategy. President Ursula von der Leyen recently noted that AI laboratories such as OpenAI,Anthropic, and xAI have called for a global alliance to slow development until safety can be guraanteed,suggesting a wider EU appetite for "safety-first" tech deployment.
The 27-state approval hurdle for the Kids Act
Despite the ambition of the European Commission, the Kids Act faces a difficult legislative path because it requires the approval of all 27 EU member states. This requirement could significantly delay the implementation of the ban and the tiered account system.
Furthermore, the proposal leaves several technical questions unanswered. it remains unclear how the European Union will enforce age verification without compromising user privacy, or how "mini-accounts" will be technically distinguished from standard accounts on platforms owned by non-EU companies. The report notes that the EU will formally present the act soon, triggering a period of intense debate among member states.
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