The EU wants to restrict the use of social media and chatbots by children under 13

The European Union intends to restrict the use of social media, certain gaming platforms, and AI-powered chatbots by children under the age of 13, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in her annual address.

“No social media until age 13. No personal accounts until age 15,” the Financial Times quotes her as saying. “Europe has the right to take action. We set the rules, not the big tech companies.”

Details of the proposed restrictions will be announced on September 17 following the publication of the so-called EU Kids Act. According to Bloomberg, which reviewed the draft text, the minimum age for creating a personal account (without parental controls enabled) will be 15. Teens aged 13–14 will be allowed to have accounts, but with limited functionality, including parental controls and time limits. Children under 13 will only be able to use services designed for children, and only under full parental supervision.

Owners of social media platforms, online gaming services, and AI-powered chatbots will be required to implement safeguards to prevent abuse and the development of addiction. Companies that fail to protect children could face fines of up to 6% of their annual revenue, Bloomberg reported, citing the draft text. Companies will also be required to pay a fee to fund the work of regulatory agencies. The fee will not exceed 0.03% of the company’s annual global sales.

Before the law takes effect, it must be approved by the governments of EU member states and members of the European Parliament. This process could take several years, according to Bloomberg.

The initiative emerged amid growing pressure from certain EU countries calling for uniform rules across the entire bloc. Some EU member states are already developing their own restrictions. Interest in restricting children’s access to social media has grown since Australia introduced similar measures last year.

Brussels’ focus on children’s safety on social media is nothing new. In 2024, the European Commission launched an investigation into Meta’s social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, suspecting that their algorithms could cause behavioral addictions. During the investigation, the Commission preliminarily concluded that Meta had used addictive design features on Instagram and Facebook and had ignored the risks these posed to children. These included features such as the infinite feed, autoplay, pop-up notifications, and personalized recommendation algorithms, which contributed to compulsive use of social media.

No decision has yet been reached in the case. If the European Commission's findings are confirmed, the EU could fine Meta up to 6% of its global annual revenue, according to Bloomberg.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor