On Thursday (September 17), the European Commission formally proposed the “EU KIDS Act,” which stands for EU Keeping Internet Digital Spaces Accountable and Trustworthy, intending to prohibit children under the age of 13 from opening social media accounts. Those aged 13 to under 15 can only use “mini accounts” opened and managed by their parents, with a daily limit of one hour; individuals 15 and older can open their own accounts.
The new regulations do not just focus on age restrictions. Features on platforms that encourage children to spend extended periods consuming content, reward mechanisms, live streaming, and AI companionship will also be subject to limitations.
This legislation still needs to be reviewed by EU member states and the European Parliament, and its content may be subject to modifications. Some provisions were leaked to the media two days ago.
Children under 13 cannot possess their own social media accounts. With parental consent, they may use video services designed specifically for young children through their parents’ accounts.
Those aged 13 to under 15 can utilize social media and video sharing services but only through mini accounts set up and managed by their parents. They are limited to one hour per day, and parental consent is required to add new contacts.
Upon reaching 15, individuals can create their own accounts. However, individuals under 18 are still subject to rules governing minors.
Within six months of the new regulations taking effect, platforms must verify the ages of existing account holders. Accounts belonging to those under 15 or with unverified ages will be suspended.
For users under 18, platforms must restrict the “endless scrolling” feature, which automatically loads continuous content that users can endlessly scroll through. Addictive reward features will also be restricted, and notifications cannot be sent to minors during specified sleep hours.
Minor accounts will default to private settings, with limitations on location tracking, camera and microphone permissions, and live streaming being disabled by default.
Contact between strangers and minors will also be limited. Platforms cannot easily recommend children’s accounts to strangers or add them to groups without their consent.
The new regulations also cover video sharing platforms, online games, AI chatbots, and AI companion services. Services primarily offering encyclopedia, education, and news information are not subject to the age restrictions for social media account creation.
AI chatbots and companion services targeting minors cannot rely on mimicking friends or other interpersonal relationships to prevent children from becoming emotionally dependent on AI. AI systems also cannot automatically remember past conversations with children and bring them up in subsequent chats.
These features are disabled by default and cannot automatically pop up. Companies must assess the risks before launching AI products that may be used by children and must continue monitoring for potential harm to minors after their release.
The European Commission also requires platforms to demonstrate that their products prioritize child safety in their design rather than addressing issues after they arise.
For platforms in the EU with over 45 million monthly users providing services to children, they must submit child safety plans and undergo independent audits. Violating companies could face fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenue.
To enforce age restrictions, platforms must first verify user ages. The EU suggests using tools such as the European Digital Identity Wallet and EU age verification applications.
According to Reuters, the tech industry organization CCIA Europe is concerned that age verification may introduce new privacy and cybersecurity issues. Collecting more personal data for age confirmation could in itself increase risks.