It has been revealed that the European Commission is proposing the ‘ EU Kids Act (EU Keeping Internet Digital Spaces Accountable and Trustworthy),’ which would restrict children’s use of social media and AI chatbots according to their age. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has stated that the Commission intends to ban social media use by those under 13, and allow 13 and 14-year-olds to use it only under parental supervision. The EU Kids Act, which will include more detailed regulations, is scheduled to be presented by the European Commission on September 17, 2026.
2026 State of the Union Address by President von der Leyen – European Commission Representation in Cyprus
https://cyprus.representation.ec.europa.eu/news/2026-state-union-address-president-von-der-leyen-2026-09-16_en
EU to restrict social media and chatbots for children under 15
https://www.ft.com/content/410db291-f133-4d72-b883-b2d5a32abbf8
EU is set to propose ban on social media and AI chatbots for under-15s | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/eu-is-set-propose-ban-social-media-ai-chatbots-under-15s-2026-09-14/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
In a speech to the European Parliament on September 16, 2026, Commission President von der Leyen outlined a plan for ‘new regulations to protect children from online dangers,’ including establishing a common minimum age across the EU for social media use, prohibiting access to those under 13. She also mentioned a system where 13- and 14-year-olds would be allowed to use restricted accounts with parental consent and supervision, with the possibility of having their own accounts from age 15.
The ‘EU Kids Act,’ which the European Commission is scheduled to present on September 17, is a bill that will give concrete form to this mechanism. It will include not only social media and video sharing services, but also online games, AI chatbots, and AI companions, and is considering establishing common EU rules regarding the design of services for minors and age verification.
As of the time of writing, the official text of the EU Kids Act has not yet been released, but according to Reuters and the Financial Times, this introductory account will be under parental control, with strict limitations on the number of people the child can interact with and the amount of time they can spend using it. Meanwhile, the draft includes a system where children aged 3 to 12 can only use child-friendly services that meet strict safety standards through accounts fully managed by their parents. Furthermore, children under 3 years old will be prohibited from using the services altogether.
Furthermore, the regulations will not be limited to age restrictions. The draft requires service providers to avoid addictive designs that encourage prolonged use and to avoid feeds that display harmful content. They will also be required to provide features that allow children to easily report harmful content and parental control features that allow parents to actually monitor usage.
In addition, social networking services and video-sharing services are expected to be required to verify users’ ages when creating new accounts. Online games are also being considered to require age verification when downloading games. The aim is to ensure the effectiveness of age restrictions by introducing a system that can verify age more reliably than simply requiring users to enter their date of birth.
AI chatbots and AI companions are also expected to be subject to regulation under the EU Kids Act. The draft proposes a structure that would not simply apply the same age restrictions as social media and video sharing services to all AI services, but rather impose different obligations depending on the type of service and the age of the user. AI services that may be used by minors will be required to be designed with safety in mind.
The European Commission also points out that existing EU law is insufficient to adequately protect children’s online use. While the current Digital Services Act includes provisions to protect minors, it lacks a unified minimum age for using social media across the EU, nor does it have a uniform rule prohibiting addictive features. The EU Kids Act aims to unify the regulations on children’s online use across the EU, which have become increasingly disparate among member states.
The EU Kids Act is expected to be formally presented by the European Commission on September 17th and then enter into deliberation by EU member states and the European Parliament. Therefore, the content presented here will not necessarily become law as is, and the services covered, age restrictions, and specific actions required of businesses may change during the legislative process. It is expected that at least several months of consultation will be necessary before it becomes law.
