EU proposes ban on social media for under-13s and limited accounts for 13-14 year olds
The European Union will prohibit children under 13 from using social platforms and allow only supervised, limited accounts for those aged 13 to 14.
During her annual keynote in Strasbourg, Ursula von der Leyen announced a draft legislation that would ban personal social-media accounts for anyone under 13 across the 27-member EU. Children aged 13 to 14 may access "mini" accounts that must be set up and overseen by a parent or guardian, limited to one hour of use daily and stripped of certain features. For users between 15 and 18, platforms will be required to implement safe-design standards, and the EU aims to outlaw addictive interfaces like infinite scrolling for minors.
The proposal, known as the KIDS Act, will be formally introduced by European Commission president and tech chief Henna Virkkunen, with penalties of up to 6% of annual turnover for non-compliance. The initiative follows similar age-restriction moves in countries such as Australia and Canada and comes amid growing evidence of social-media harms to youth. Final adoption will depend on negotiations between EU member states and the European Parliament, a process that could take several months.
Why it matters
It could reshape how young people across Europe interact online and pressure tech firms to redesign their platforms.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTBoth camps report the EU's proposal to ban social-media accounts for under-13s, but left-leaning coverage stresses the protective intent against platform exploitation, while centrist coverage focuses on the specific regulatory details and enforcement mechanisms.
LEFT
Frames the proposal as a protective step to free children from platform-driven capture of their attention and to curb Big Tech's overwhelming power.
CENTER
Frames the proposal as a concrete legislative plan outlining age-based bans, supervised "mini" accounts, usage limits, and penalties for non-compliance.
The left emphasises
- “capture [of] their attention, their focus, their minds”
- protect young people from online harm
- power of Big Tech as overwhelming
How this story developed
- Sep 3 EU to grant cities power to curb Airbnb rentals and second homes
- Sep 5 EU document outlining new housing package released; Budapest’s 13th District moves to draft its own short‑term rental regulations.
- Sep 7 Estonia is the only EU member pushing for platform design changes to safeguard minors, opposing the bloc’s planned social-media ban for children.
- Sep 9 The European Commission unveiled the housing regulation draft on Wednesday.
- Sep 13 Macron’s written request to von der Leyen for a Europe‑wide legal instrument has entered the debate.
- Sep 14 France plans to forward the amended draft to the European Commission on Monday.
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