EU to ban social media for under 13s, curb access until 15

The European Union announced plans on Wednesday (Sep 16) to ban social media for children under 13 and limit their access until the age of 15, according to EU chief Ursula von der Leyen. The EU is responding to a global backlash against social media and mounting evidence of its negative impacts on children's physical and mental health.

Australia introduced a ban on social media for under-16s last year, prompting similar moves worldwide. The 27-country bloc will implement a gradual approach, with tailored protection levels for different age groups. No social media accounts will be allowed for children under 13, and those between 13 and 15 will only have mini accounts supervised by parents or guardians, with limited features and a maximum of one hour of daily usage.

Safe design will be mandatory for platforms between 15 and 18. The EU will also ban addictive design features such as infinite scrolling and potentially online games and AI chatbots. Tech companies that violate the rules could face fines of up to 6% of their annual turnover. Von der Leyen emphasized that the EU will not accept addictive features and will require platforms to prove their safety.

The proposed KIDS Act, including the tiered age limits, will be presented in Strasbourg, France on Thursday by EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen and Commission President von der Leyen.