Archive · 14 Sep 2026
EU Commission to Propose Kids Act for Safer Social Media
The European Commission wants to create new rules to help protect children online.
It plans to suggest one minimum age for using social media across the European Union.
The rules could also cover video-sharing services, online games, and AI chatbots or companions.
Online products would need to be designed with safety in mind.
Education tools would not be covered by the proposal.
Parents and guardians could receive new tools to help protect children.
The rules may use enforcement systems similar to existing EU digital laws.
The European Parliament and EU governments would still need to negotiate and approve the proposal.
The European Commission plans to propose an EU-wide minimum age for social media access.
The proposed EU Kids Act would cover social media, video-sharing platforms, online gaming, and AI companions.
The measures would require covered online products to be safe by design.
The proposal would exclude education tools and provide tools for parents and guardians.
Enforcement structures could resemble those in the Digital Services Act and Artificial Intelligence Act, but EU lawmakers and governments would still need to negotiate the law.
- Who
- The European Commission, following pressure from political leaders including Emmanuel Macron.
- What
- A proposed EU Kids Act establishing a bloc-wide social media minimum age and new online safety requirements.
- When
- The proposal is expected to be presented on Thursday.
- Where
- Across the European Union.
- Why
- To strengthen protections for minors using social media and other online products.
- Proposal
- EU Kids Act
- Expected timing
- Thursday
- Proposed minimum age
- An EU-wide minimum age for social media access
- Covered services
- Social media, video-sharing platforms, online gaming, chatbots, and AI companions
- Safety standard
- Online products would need to be safe by design
- Exemption
- Education tools would be excluded
- Next step
- EU governments and lawmakers would need to negotiate the proposal