<p>The European Union has proposed a new Kids Act that could significantly change how children use social media, video platforms, online games and AI services.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The European Commission adopted the EU KIDS Act on September 17, saying the proposal would make online services safer for minors and introduce common rules across the bloc. The proposal still needs to go through the EU legislative process before it can become law. At the centre of the plan is a minimum age of 15 for autonomous social media accounts. Children under 13 would not be allowed to create such accounts, while those aged 13 and 14 could use limited, parent-supervised accounts.</p><h2><strong>What happens at different ages?</strong></h2><p>Under the proposal, children under 13 would not have their own social media accounts. Those aged 13 to under 15 could have limited accounts created and supervised by a guardian. These accounts would include parental controls, a daily time limit of up to one hour and parental approval for contacts. From 15, teenagers could create their own accounts on services covered by the rules. The rules would cover social networking and video-sharing services with features considered risky for children.</p><h2><strong>No infinite scrolling or addictive features</strong></h2><p>The proposal goes beyond age limits. Online services would have to follow “safety by design” principles. For children, this would mean restrictions on features such as infinite scrolling, endless autoplay, certain push notifications and streak-style mechanics designed to encourage users to keep returning. Recommendation systems would also have to put greater emphasis on safety and wellbeing rather than simply maximising engagement. Tracking-based personalisation would be switched off by default for minors. The proposal also includes stronger privacy settings, tools to block or mute users and restrictions on unwanted contact from strangers.</p><h2><strong>What about AI chatbots?</strong></h2><p>The Kids Act would also cover AI chatbots and AI companions. AI companions and chatbots aimed at children would have to meet the new safety requirements, with safeguards for emerging risks before they could be made available under the proposed framework.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Platforms would also have to verify users' ages. The EU says this should be done through certified, privacy-preserving tools rather than requiring platforms to collect users' identity documents directly. Its proposed age-verification technology is designed to confirm whether someone meets an age threshold without revealing their exact identity or age.</p><h2><strong>Tougher rules for Big Tech</strong></h2><p>The proposal would put a greater responsibility on the biggest online platforms to prove that their services are safe for children. Very large online platforms with 45 million or more monthly active users in the EU would have to submit compliance plans for new services, features or functionalities. The European Commission says fines could reach 6 per cent of a company's worldwide annual turnover for violations. The KIDS Act is therefore not simply a proposed social media age ban. It is a broader attempt to change how digital services are designed and how children are protected while using them.</p>

The EU’s proposed KIDS Act would set 15 as the age for independent social media accounts, introduce parent-supervised accounts for 13- and 14-year-olds, require privacy-focused age checks and restrict addictive design, unsafe recommendations and some AI chatbot features.

The European Union has proposed a new Kids Act that could significantly change how children use social media, video platforms, online games and AI services. The European Commission adopted the EU KIDS Act on September 17, saying the proposal would make online services safer for minors and introduce common rules across the bloc. The proposal still needs to go through the EU legislative process before it can become law. At the centre of the plan is a minimum age of 15 for autonomous social media accounts. Children under 13 would not be allowed to create such accounts, while those aged 13 and 14 could use limited, parent-supervised accounts. What happens at different ages? Under the proposal, children under 13 would not have their own social media accounts. Those aged 13 to under 15 could have limited accounts created and supervised by a guardian. These accounts would include parental controls, a daily time limit of up to one hour and parental approval for contacts. From 15, teenagers could create their own accounts on services covered by the rules. The rules would cover social networking and video-sharing services with features considered risky for children. No infinite scrolling or addictive features The proposal goes beyond age limits. Online services would have to follow “safety by design” principles. For children, this would mean restrictions on features such as infinite scrolling, endless autoplay, certain push notifications and streak-style mechanics designed to encourage users to keep returning. Recommendation systems would also have to put greater emphasis on safety and wellbeing rather than simply maximising engagement. Tracking-based personalisation would be switched off by default for minors. The proposal also includes stronger privacy settings, tools to block or mute users and restrictions on unwanted contact from strangers. What about AI chatbots? The Kids Act would also cover AI chatbots and AI companions. AI companions and chatbots aimed at children would have to meet the new safety requirements, with safeguards for emerging risks before they could be made available under the proposed framework. Platforms would also have to verify users' ages. The EU says this should be done through certified, privacy-preserving tools rather than requiring platforms to collect users' identity documents directly. Its proposed age-verification technology is designed to confirm whether someone meets an age threshold without revealing their exact identity or age. Tougher rules for Big Tech The proposal would put a greater responsibility on the biggest online platforms to prove that their services are safe for children. Very large online platforms with 45 million or more monthly active users in the EU would have to submit compliance plans for new services, features or functionalities. The European Commission says fines could reach 6 per cent of a company's worldwide annual turnover for violations. The KIDS Act is therefore not simply a proposed social media age ban. It is a broader attempt to change how digital services are designed and how children are protected while using them.

<p>The EU’s proposed KIDS Act would set 15 as the age for independent social media accounts, introduce parent-supervised accounts for 13- and 14-year-olds, require privacy-focused age checks and restrict addictive design, unsafe recommendations and some AI chatbot features.</p>

EU Kids Act explained: What the new rules could mean for children online

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EU Kids Act explained: What the new rules could mean for children online