EU Prepares Restrictions on Social Media and AI for Children Under 15

The European Union is preparing a proposal to restrict children under 15 from accessing social media, AI chatbots, video sharing platforms, and online games. According to a European Commission document, the proposed EU Kids Act would establish a tiered access system. Children aged 3 to 12 would be limited to parent controlled, child friendly services, while those aged 13 and 14 could have limited accounts under strict parental controls. Users would be permitted to have their own accounts starting at age 15.

The legislation would require digital platforms to verify users' ages and provide parental controls. It would also mandate that services be safe by design by limiting addictive features, such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, and push notifications. Companies would be required to offer simple ways for children to report harmful material and would pay a supervisory fee to fund enforcement. The proposal is not yet final and must be negotiated by EU member states and the European Parliament.

This move follows pressure from member states including France and Greece, as well as a broader international trend. Australia has already enacted a national social media age restriction, and several other governments have considered similar measures. The proposal specifically includes AI chatbots, placing services like ChatGPT within the same safety debate as social media.

While both reports agree on the technical details of the proposal, they differ slightly in their framing. A center leaning source frames the move as a way to limit the access of tech companies to children to protect them from abuse and exploitation. A center right leaning source frames the proposal as a response to pressure from member states to protect children from social media harms.