EU proposes ban on social media for under-13s and supervised accounts up to age 15
The European Commission unveiled draft rules that would bar children younger than 13 from using social platforms and require parental-supervised “mini-accounts” for those aged 13 to 15.
In a press briefing in Strasbourg, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented a set of draft measures aimed at tightening digital protection for children. The plan forbids anyone under 13 from joining social media services and introduces “mini-accounts” for youths aged 13 to 15, which must be created and monitored by a parent or guardian and limited to a maximum of one hour per day. Between ages 15 and 18, platforms will be required to implement safety-by-design standards, and once users turn 18, companies will continue to be responsible for removing toxic or addictive features.
Von der Leyen criticized current platform policies as too lax on children’s mental health and stressed that age limits do not absolve tech firms from content-related duties. The initiative is embedded in the European Children Online Protection Act, which seeks a gradual, age-specific regulatory framework for digital services across the EU.
How this was covered
- The two sides describe this in almost entirely different words
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage frames the EU Kids Act as a sweeping child-protection measure, while center coverage reports the proposal as a regulatory response to safety concerns, and right-leaning coverage zeroes in on the specific “addictive” functionalities the law targets.
LEFT
Frames the proposal as a comprehensive effort to protect children by banning under-13s, imposing parental-controlled mini-profiles for 13-15-year-olds, and restricting addictive design and AI tools.
CENTER
Presents the plan as a regulatory response to growing worries about minors' safety and wellbeing, describing the bans, age-verification duties and public support for tighter rules.
RIGHT
Highlights the detailed crackdown on so-called “addictive” features such as gamification, filter bubbles and social rewards, portraying the act as a targeted measure against these functionalities.
The left emphasises
- protecting children online
- ban on social-media access for under-13s and parental-controlled mini-profiles for 13-15-year-olds
- prohibiting addictive features and AI chatbots
The right emphasises
- focus on "addictive" functionalities like gamification, filter bubbles, social rewards
- detail of the law's requirements to curb these features
- description of the act as a targeted crackdown on such functionalities
How this story developed
- Sep 7 Estonia urges EU to make platforms protect children rather than impose a ban
- Sep 10 Governor Gavin Newsom signed a package of California laws that impose penalties on social-media firms, ban addictive feeds for under-16s and require risk assessments for AI chatbots.
- Sep 11 Newsom signed 13 technology bills, adding Adam's Law to the earlier child‑protection package.
- Sep 11 President Nicușor Dan will attend the European Arctic Summit in Rovaniemi, Finland on September 13-14, 2026, alongside leaders from Germany, Poland, Denmark and EU officials.
- Sep 13 Macron’s written request to von der Leyen for a Europe‑wide legal instrument has entered the debate.
- Sep 14 The summit is being held in Rovaniemi, Finland.
- Sep 14 Bucharest will host an upcoming Eastern Flank summit.
- Sep 14 France plans to forward the amended draft to the European Commission on Monday.
- Sep 15 Leaders issued a joint declaration urging the EU to adopt a stronger, better‑funded Arctic strategy.
- Sep 16 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the draft EU Kids Act.
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