EU to limit access to social media before age of 15

Key Points:

• The European Commission plans to propose new rules restricting minors' access to social media and video-sharing platforms before age 15, introducing a tiered system with parental supervision for younger users.
• The upcoming EU KIDS Act will require covered products, including social media, AI companions, and online games, to be safe by design, excluding educational tools, and will include educational measures for children and guardians.
• Children under 13 can have accounts controlled fully by parents, while those aged 13-15 will have limited accounts with parental controls and restrictions on contact and screen time; teenagers over 15 can create their own accounts.
• The proposal includes mandatory age verification technology and an enforcement framework similar to the Digital Services Act, centralizing oversight of high-risk platforms with the European Commission while national regulators manage smaller firms.
• The initiative follows pressure from EU leaders and health experts concerned about the mental health impact of platforms like TikTok and Instagram on minors, with further details expected in President von der Leyen's upcoming State of the European Union speech.