EU unveils open-source app to enforce new child social-media bans
The European Commission has proposed a ban on social-media use for children under 13 and introduced a free, open-source age-verification app to enforce it across the bloc.
On Thursday the European Commission presented a draft Kids Act that would bar children under 13 from accessing social-media services and require parental oversight for users aged 13 to 15. To monitor compliance, Brussels has created a free, open-source age-verification app that tells platforms only whether a user meets the required age threshold, keeping identities hidden. The tool, first shown in April 2026, is being tested in Cyprus, Denmark, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy and Spain, with full EU availability slated for late 2026.
Verification is performed by nationally designated issuers such as digital-ID providers, banks or post offices, and each proof can be used only once, preventing cross-service tracking. Breaches of the age rules would be handled under the Digital Services Act, which allows penalties of up to 6% of a company’s worldwide revenue. The proposal still needs approval from EU member states and the European Parliament before becoming law.
Why it matters
It creates a unified, privacy-focused system to protect children online across the EU.
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.
- Sep 18 The draft adds a default one‑hour daily limit for parent‑supervised mini‑profiles, mandates an audit of existing accounts within six months, and sets fines of up to 6 % of worldwide sales for non‑compliance.
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