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On Thursday, the European Commission will present a new legislative initiative called the EU Kids Act. If adopted, it will establish a minimum age for using social media, video-sharing platforms, online games, and AI companions throughout the EU. The document will also include mandatory safety requirements for these services, to be incorporated as early as the design phase.
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European Commission spokesperson Olof Gil confirmed plans to introduce this legislation at a press conference. Politico, which reported on this initiative, notes that the legislation will not apply to educational tools and will include parental controls. In addition, the EU Kids Act calls for the creation of a supervisory system, the costs of which will be covered by technology companies through supervisory fees – similar to the Digital Services Act and the Artificial Intelligence Act.
The EU Kids Act was the result of intense pressure from national leaders, particularly French President Emmanuel Macron. At the national level, he is also working to restrict children’s access to platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
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It is currently unknown what the exact age threshold will be, as this information was redacted from the draft documents reviewed by Politico journalists. However, it has been specified that the legislation will explicitly cover both new consumer technologies – including AI chatbots and virtual companions – and traditional social media platforms.
This is not the final version, as the document may still undergo changes after it is presented on Thursday, and before final approval, it will have to go through official negotiations with EU member state governments and lawmakers. Only then will specific deadlines for compliance be set.
It will be interesting to see how effective these measures prove to be in preventing children from accessing social media and other related apps. After all, for example, in Australia, where bans on social media use have already been implemented, some children have still managed to gain access to these platforms.
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