How EU plans to keep children under 15 off social media
Under a proposal being prepared by the European Commission, children under 15 could face restrictions on creating and using accounts across a wide range of digital services
The European Union is contemplating a significant overhaul of how children under 15 access digital services, including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, AI chatbots, and online gaming platforms. According to a Reuters report, the proposal, part of the EU Kids Act, aims to enhance the safety of digital environments for children and address global concerns about the impact of digital platforms on children's well-being.
Rather than applying a uniform rule to all children, the EU plan would establish age-based access levels. For children 15 and older, they would be able to create their own accounts without parental oversight. Teenagers aged 13 and 14 would require parental involvement in setting up accounts, with restrictions on contacts and time spent on platforms.
Children aged 3 to 12 would have fully controlled accounts by parents, limited to age-appropriate services with stricter safety standards. The proposal may even ban digital platform access for children under 3. Although the exact regulations may change before formal presentation and negotiation with EU governments and the European Parliament, the proposal's wide scope includes AI chatbots, online games, and other platforms, expanding the EU's regulatory reach into various aspects of children's digital lives.
The EU's approach could require tech companies to implement features that discourage engagement, limit exposure to harmful content, and facilitate child reporting of inappropriate material. They would also have to simplify the process for parents to control their children's online experiences and enforce age verification measures for account creation.
Additionally, online gaming platforms would need to verify a user's age before allowing children to download games. The proposal may also impose financial obligations on tech companies, including a potential supervisory fee to support regulatory enforcement and oversight. The EU's proposal emerges as there is rising demand for clearer guidelines on children's digital engagement.
While tech platforms claim they already have safeguards, critics argue that existing age limits are insufficient if platforms cannot accurately determine users' ages. The EU's plan shifts more responsibility onto technology companies, giving parents greater control over younger children's online activities. However, the proposal still needs to undergo further refinement as it progresses through the European Commission, EU member states, and the European Parliament before becoming law.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu - Sci-Tech's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
