EU drafts law to restrict social media and gaming for children under 15

The European Commission is set to present a draft regulation that would prevent minors younger than 15 from opening independent accounts on social-media, AI or gaming platforms, while offering a graduated framework for younger users under parental oversight. Children under three would have no access, those between three and 12 could use services fully controlled by parents, and 13- to 14-year-olds could obtain introductory accounts with restricted functionalities.

The draft also mandates "safe by design" measures, banning features deemed addictive, such as infinite scrolling, artificial notifications and certain reward mechanisms. Platform algorithms that recommend content would be limited to protect children, and private settings would be the default. Funding for enforcement is to come from a supervisory fee on the platforms, and an EU-wide age-check application is being prepared. The legislation will move forward after negotiations between the European Parliament and member states.