EU KIDS Act

In recent times, there has been a mounting apprehension regarding the hazards children and adolescents encounter while utilizing online platforms, which are inherently addictive and structured to captivate the attention of their users for the greatest duration possible. Safeguarding minors online constitutes a paramount concern for the European Commission, leading to the introduction of a new KIDS Act aimed at instituting a phased admission of social media for children throughout the European Union.

This regulation shall pertain to online services utilized by minors, incorporating social media, video-sharing platforms, online games, and AI companions and chatbots, among others.

The KIDS Act posits that access to social media should be contingent upon age. Consequently, online services catering to minors will be mandated to provide enhanced protection from the outset. Furthermore, AI chatbots and companions will be required to operate in a default off state, and will no longer be able to engender emotional dependence in children.

To ascertain the age of users, online services and app stores will need to employ tools to validate users’ ages while safeguarding their privacy. One such tool is the EU age verification application, which does not retain identity documents or biometric data.

Moreover, the EU KIDS Act will enable a shift in the burden of proof from regulators to platforms. Providers of very large online platforms will be obligated to demonstrate that their services are secure for children and are crafted with their welfare in mind. This proposal is built upon the endeavors of a special panel of experts, established by President von der Leyen, to formulate a robust and pragmatic European strategy to safeguard children online.

Subsequently, the proposal will undergo scrutiny by the European Parliament and the Council, who will deliberate on and determine the final text prior to its enactment as law.