European Commission Proposed New EU KIDS Act
The legislative proposal aims to restrict social media access for minors through tiered, age-based account requirements.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Pre-Teens
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Should governments impose stricter age and design regulations on social media platforms for minors?
The European Commission has introduced the EU KIDS Act to regulate social media access for minors. The proposal mandates strict, age-based tiered access for children and requires platforms to implement safety-by-design standards.
Why it matters
The proposal follows recommendations from the Special Panel on Child Safety Online to protect minors from digital harms. It aims to force service providers to adopt protective design features as a condition for accessing users under 18.
The proposal restricts standard social media access to those 13 and older, while 13 and 14-year-olds are limited to parentally-controlled mini accounts with a one-hour daily time limit. Services must also eliminate addictive design features for users under 18.
The players
European Commission
This is the executive branch of the European Union responsible for proposing legislation and implementing decisions.
Special Panel on Child Safety Online
This body conducted the research and reports that served as the primary foundation for the new legislative proposal.
The details
Under the new plan, platforms must submit safety implementation plans before they are permitted to reach children. These services are required to remove addictive triggers such as infinite scrolling, push notifications, and other manipulative design tricks.
Timeline
September 22, 2026: The European Commission published the legislative proposal.
Culture Shift
This proposal marks a departure from self-regulation in the tech industry by mandating structural design changes. It aligns with a growing global effort to treat social media safety as a fundamental requirement for services targeting minors.
Families can expect new limitations on social media usage for children, including daily time caps and mandatory parental oversight for early-teen accounts. Platforms will be required to modify their interfaces, resulting in fewer addictive features for young users.
The takeaway
The move signifies a shift toward prioritizing digital wellness through government-mandated design constraints. Parents should prepare for potential changes in how platforms manage accounts for children aged 13 to 14.
Further reading
For more information on digital safety, visit the Pre-Teens section.
Live Poll
Should governments impose stricter age and design regulations on social media platforms for minors?
