EU Proposes Social Media Ban for Children Under 13

The European Commission has proposed banning children under 13 from social media as part of a wider package of online safety rules.

Under the proposed EU Kids Act, children aged 13 to 15 would only be allowed to use accounts controlled by a parent or guardian. Platforms would also have to verify users’ ages when accounts are created.

The rules would extend beyond social media to video-sharing platforms, online games, AI companions and chatbots. Addictive features, profiling-based recommendations, infinite scrolling, reward systems and messages from strangers would be restricted. AI companions and chatbots would be switched off by default for minors.

Companies that fail to comply could face fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenue. The proposal must still be negotiated with EU member states and the European Parliament before becoming law.

The UK is taking a stricter approach. It plans to ban social media accounts for children under 16. The ban is expected to be approved by Christmas 2026 and take effect around spring 2027. The UK also plans to set a minimum age of 18 for AI chatbots designed to simulate romantic or sexual relationships.

The proposals could bring further age-verification requirements for social discovery services and AI companion platforms. Most mainstream dating apps already require users to be at least 18, but companies may need stronger systems to prove that these restrictions are being enforced.

Industry group CCIA Europe has warned that collecting age information, identity documents and data connecting children with their parents could create new privacy and cybersecurity risks.