The European Union plans to ban social media for children under 13 and allow only restricted, parental-supervised access for teenagers under 15. The plans were announced on September 16 by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Amid global criticism of social media and mounting evidence of its negative impact on children’s physical and mental health, von der Leyen told the European Parliament during her annual address: “It is time for Europe to act.” She also emphasized that rules should be set by Europe, not by big tech companies.
Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16 in 2025. However, von der Leyen stated that the 27-member EU will take a more “gradual” approach.
New age restrictions
“No social media under 13. No personal accounts under 15,” von der Leyen said. She explained that teenagers between 13 and 15 will only be able to use “mini-accounts” created and managed by parents or guardians. These accounts will have limited features, and usage will be capped at one hour per day.
For users aged 15 to 18, platforms will be required to ensure “safe design.” The formal legislative proposal, titled EU Kids Act, is set to be presented by von der Leyen and European Commissioner for Digital Technologies Henna Virkkunen in Strasbourg on September 17.
Von der Leyen also mentioned a 14-year-old Belgian girl named Olea, who died by suicide a month ago following bullying. She quoted the girl’s mother, who said she was convinced that without the constant presence of social media, her daughter would still be alive.
While von der Leyen did not mention online games or AI chatbots during her speech, a draft of the legislation seen by AFP suggests that the restrictions could also apply to these services.
Restrictions for platforms
The draft legislation also includes a ban on design elements that can cause addiction, such as “infinite scrolling.” Platforms could face fines of up to 6% of their annual turnover for violating the rules.
“We should not accept addictive features,” von der Leyen said, adding that platforms must prove their safety. She also noted that the problem of addictive design is not limited to children and announced additional rules in this area for the autumn.
Child and parent advocacy groups welcomed the initiative, though they stressed the need for clear and enforceable rules. Lianda Barrington-Leach of the 5Rights Foundation stated that the upcoming proposal must be consistent, comprehensive, future-proof, and effectively enforced.
Arnaud Djaouen, a representative for a group of French families who filed a complaint against TikTok over cases of self-harm and suicide among teenagers, said that Europe is finally sending a clear signal about the need to counter harmful platform design.
At the same time, Simeon de Brouwer of the digital rights organization EDRi noted that if a platform’s design is harmful at 13, it does not automatically become safe after 15 or 18.
Pressure from EU states
Von der Leyen faced pressure from several member states, including France, Denmark, and Greece, which called for common rules across the EU. France, which had proposed its own legislation in this area, welcomed the European Commission’s initiative.
The EU has been trying to tighten control over big tech companies for several years. Under the Digital Services Act (DSA), Brussels has already required Meta and TikTok to change platform designs that may promote addiction, though these changes are happening slower than the European Commission expects.
Meanwhile, digital and consumer rights organizations are expressing concerns about the age verification system associated with these measures, which is expected to launch later this year. Agustin Reyna of the European Consumer Organisation BEUC stated that age verification is not a silver bullet and could create serious problems regarding privacy and data protection.
The proposal to be presented by the European Commission on September 17 will only become law after negotiations between EU member states and the European Parliament. This process could take several months.
Source: The Straits Times
