EU KIDS Act

The EU KIDS Act is a proposed law to protect children and teenagers across the EU on online services including social media, video-sharing platforms, online games, and AI companions. It introduces a staged access model: under 13s are barred from social media but may use child‑friendly video services via accounts managed by a parent or guardian; 13-14 year‑olds can use a parent‑managed "mini" social account with limited features and a strict 1‑hour‑per‑day time cap; from 15 onward young people may open and manage their own social accounts. The proposal aims to delay uptake of mainstream social media and reduce excessive, early exposure.

The Act mandates safety‑by‑design protections and stricter platform duties. Services used by minors must limit addictive features (infinite scroll, reward mechanics, late‑night push notifications), set profiles for minors to private by default, block unsolicited contacts from strangers, and offer easy blocking/muting. AI chatbots and companions must be off by default and barred from fostering emotional dependence. Age verification tools that protect privacy - such as an EU app that does not retain identity documents or biometrics - will be required at account opening. The burden of proof shifts to providers, with very large platforms obliged to demonstrate child‑safety and wellbeing by design. The proposal, built on expert panel work, now goes to the European Parliament and Council for negotiation.