EU Moves to Ban Under‑13 Social Media Accounts and Raise Minimum Age to 15

The European Commission is preparing legislation that would prohibit social‑media platforms from allowing children under the age of 13 to open accounts and would set a bloc‑wide minimum age of 15 for any new user registration. The draft, dubbed the EU KIDS Act, aims to tighten online safety rules across the 27‑member union.

The proposal follows a series of EU initiatives targeting digital harms, including the Digital Services Act and the forthcoming Digital Markets Act, which together seek to hold large tech firms accountable for content moderation, data protection, and market fairness. By focusing specifically on minors, the Commission hopes to close a perceived loophole: many platforms currently permit users as young as eight to sign up, often relying on self‑reported age information that is easy to falsify.

Under the KIDS Act, platforms would be required to implement robust age‑verification mechanisms before granting access to any account. The legislation also calls for clear labeling of content that may be unsuitable for younger audiences and for the removal of targeted advertising directed at children. Failure to comply could result in significant fines, mirroring the penalty structure used in other recent EU tech regulations.

Member states have expressed both support and concern. Consumer‑rights groups praise the move as a necessary step to protect children from exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, and data exploitation. Some industry representatives, however, warn that stringent verification could push young users toward unregulated services or increase the administrative burden on smaller platforms that lack the resources to develop sophisticated age‑check systems.

The Commission plans to present the final text to the European Parliament and the Council later this year, after a period of public consultation. If adopted, the law would come into force across the EU, creating a uniform standard that could influence policy discussions worldwide. Observers note that the initiative reflects growing political pressure to safeguard younger internet users while balancing the interests of a digital economy that thrives on user engagement.