The EU has unveiled plans to restrict social media access for children under 15, targeting platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube in a major push to improve online safety.

The proposed EU Kids Act would ban under-13s from accessing social media, while 13 to 15-year-olds would face a one-hour daily limit through “mini accounts” linked to a parent or guardian.

Brussels puts parents back in control

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said the measures would “put parents back in the driving seat” and force technology companies to make child safety a core part of their platforms.

Companies would have to demonstrate that their services were safe by design and could face fines of up to 6 per cent of global turnover. The rules would also cover video-sharing platforms, online games and AI chatbots.

Tech giants face a new legal battle

The legislation would require platforms to submit detailed child-safety plans and remove features deemed toxic or addictive. The Commission has already raised concerns about infinite scrolling, autoplay and personalised recommendations encouraging compulsive use among young users.

Meta has disputed the EU's preliminary findings, saying they do not fully reflect measures already taken to protect teenagers. The company also agreed in August to an $18 billion settlement with US states and territories over claims that Facebook and Instagram harmed children, while denying wrongdoing.

France exposes the fight ahead

The EU-wide rules must still be approved by member states and the European Parliament, with enforcement likely to prove contentious.

France has already attempted to introduce an under-15 social media ban, but its top court blocked the legislation last month over freedom-of-expression concerns. Ministers have since amended the proposals, highlighting the tensions Brussels could face as countries seek to shape the final rules.

Age checks trigger privacy fears

Critics have warned that mandatory age verification could force teenagers to hand over sensitive personal information. The Commission says an existing EU age-verification app would establish users’ ages without collecting or sharing personal data.

The EU says 92 per cent of respondents in a recent survey viewed stronger online protection for children as a top policy priority. The proposal follows Australia’s under-16 restrictions and comes as the UK prepares to introduce a similar ban next spring.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3j4jz8vpz1xo

This sounds draconian.

I think it's unrealistic. Kids will find ways to bypass it, as they did in the UK.

https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/05/04/children-are-drawing-moustaches-on-their-faces-to-fool-online-age-checks-and-its-working