EU Proposes KIDS Act to Ban Under‑13 Social Media Accounts and Tighten Child Safety Rules

The European Commission has drafted the KIDS Act, which would bar users under 13 from social media and require platforms to design child‑safe services. Children aged 13 and 14 could use parent‑supervised “mini accounts” limited to one hour a day, while those 15 and older would have independent accounts. Platforms must verify age with certified tools, including a European Digital Identity Wallet, and within six months must disable accounts that cannot confirm a user is 15 or older. The law imposes strict limits on addictive features, personalized ads, infinite scrolling, and unsolicited contact, and mandates that AI companions and chatbots be off by default. Services with 45 million+ EU users must submit compliance plans before interacting with children. The proposal aims to replace disparate national rules with a uniform EU standard for child protection online.