On Thursday in Strasbourg, the European Commission approved a proposal for a regulation on the protection of minors online, known as the EU Kids Act, which introduces harmonized EU-wide rules with clear age limits for access to social media, video platforms, and artificial intelligence systems.
European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that the regulation sets clear boundaries in the digital world, “just as we do every day in the real world,” adopting a phased and age-differentiated approach, as “each age group has its own sensitivities” and therefore “each will have its own tailored level of protection.”
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According to the proposal, children under 13 will not be allowed any access to social media. Exceptions are made for specially designed video-sharing services for children, which can only be accessed through an account fully controlled by parents or guardians.
Children aged 13 to 15 will not be allowed to have a personal account. Only “mini accounts”—created and supervised by parents—will be allowed, with limited features and a usage limit of up to one hour per day.
Finally, for users aged 15 to 18, independent accounts will be permitted, but platforms are required to adhere to “security by design” principles: a ban on addictive features, safe default settings, and controls on content recommendation systems.
As Ms. von der Leyen described, this solution allows for phased access, and as she emphasized, this process “gives parents control and places the burden of proof regarding safety on the platforms, where it belongs.” The Commission President stressed the importance of informing parents, educators, and children about the risks and benefits of the digital world, noting that “digital literacy is extremely important for our children as they grow up.”
Age verification will be based on certified EU tools, such as the European age verification app, built on technology that will allow platforms to know only whether a user is of the required age, without access to other personal data.
The regulation shifts the burden of proof to the platforms, as social media providers and major platforms will be required to submit child safety plans in advance, rather than having authorities prove harm after the fact. Enforcement will rely on existing enforcement structures under the DSA and the Artificial Intelligence Act. “Platforms have been playing fast and loose with children’s mental health,” she stated emphatically, stressing that from now on “they must prove to us that they are safe” and not the other way around, von der Leyen emphasized from Strasbourg.
The Commission President clarified that the age limit does not exempt tech companies from responsibility for content, explaining that for every user under the age of 18, platforms must apply the principle of “safety by design,” free of toxic or addictive features and without traps.
Furthermore, it was emphasized that minors are not the only ones at risk. “I was referring to designs that are addictive and harmful to everyone, from minors to adults, which is why we also need a broader framework: the Digital Justice Act,” he noted, adding that the Commission will propose the Digital Justice Act this fall as a complementary, broader-scope framework
Source: CNA
