Social media access for minors under 15 will face sweeping statutory limits across European Union member states under draft measures unveiled by the European Commission. The proposal introduces a phased framework designed to curb digital addiction and bolster psychological well-being among children. Officials confirmed that compliance failures will expose global technology conglomerates to penalties of up to 6 percent of worldwide annual revenue.
The sweeping initiative sets up a major legal confrontation between Brussels and Silicon Valley.
Under the draft framework, named the EU Kids Act, children under 13 will be entirely prohibited from accessing social media platforms. Adolescents aged 13 to 15 may only use services through guardian-supervised mini accounts capped at one hour of screen time daily. Only individuals aged 15 and above will be permitted to register autonomous digital profiles. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated the initiative is designed to return oversight authority to parents confronting predatory digital environments.
The restrictions extend far beyond conventional social networks.
Video-sharing services such as YouTube, artificial intelligence chatbots, and interactive online gaming platforms are directly encompassed within the proposed requirements. For all users below 18, platforms must legally adopt safety-by-design standards, banning infinite scroll mechanisms, intrusive algorithms, and engagement loops that exploit developing attention spans. Profiles belonging to minors must also remain private by default with geolocation trackers and microphone permissions disabled.
Individual member states, including France and Spain, previously attempted domestic statutory bans with mixed success.
France previously enacted legislation barring under-15s from social media, but national constitutional authorities struck it down over fundamental freedom of expression concerns. The Commission noted that the supranational regulation, once enacted, will supersede existing domestic frameworks and require national governments to repeal conflicting local statutes. Digital rights advocates have nevertheless raised operational concerns over whether mandatory age verification will compromise youth data confidentiality. European officials insist that age confirmation will operate through a decentralized verification tool that retains no biometric identifiers or birth records.
Recent European polling shows that 92 percent of citizens consider digital protections for youth an urgent public priority.
European regulators pointed to precedents established in Australia, which prohibited social platforms for minors under 16 last year. Australian Communications Minister Anika Wells admitted this month that enforcement has proven difficult, with no technology companies fined so far despite persistent teenage use. Britain is similarly preparing to institute comparable limits next spring. The European proposal must now undergo formal scrutiny and secure approval from both the European Parliament and national member governments before taking legal effect.
