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EU proposes social media restrictions for children, including under-13s

EU proposes social media restrictions for children, including under-13s

The European Commission wants tighter rules for children online, including age checks and parental supervision for younger users.

Teenage boy using smartphone in residential living room

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MadeForMums

Published: September 16, 2026 at 12:18 PM

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The European Commission has proposed new restrictions on children’s access to social media, online games and AI chatbots, in a move aimed at strengthening protections for young people online.

Under the proposals announced by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday 16 September, children under 13 would not be able to access social media without parental supervision. Those aged 13 to 15 would face additional restrictions, including parental controls.

The plans are part of a wider European debate about how to make online platforms safer for children, with concerns including addictive features, harmful content and the use of children’s images in AI-generated sexualised material.

What are the proposed EU social media rules for children?

Von der Leyen said the EU should take a tougher approach to how technology companies protect children.

"I am aware that many perceive the power of Big Tech as overwhelming and impossible to roll back. I disagree," she said during her annual State of the European Union speech in Strasbourg.

We do not have to accept addictive features. We do not have to accept children being drawn into ever more extreme content.

Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president

The proposal would introduce different levels of access depending on a child's age:

Under 13s: Social media access would require parental supervision.
Ages 13 to 15: Children would need parental control to create accounts, with restrictions such as time limits.
Age verification: Platforms would be required to check users' ages using an official verification app, according to a draft of the proposals.

The measures would cover social media alongside certain gaming platforms and AI chatbot services.

Von der Leyen said: "We do not have to accept addictive features. We do not have to accept children being drawn into ever more extreme content. We do not have to accept that girls have their photos used for AI-generated sexualized images."

Why does the EU want tighter online safety rules?

The European Commission's proposals reflect growing concern about the ways children interact with digital platforms, including potentially addictive design, exposure to harmful content and the risks associated with AI.

The plans would also require social media companies, online gaming services and AI chatbot providers to introduce safeguards designed to reduce abuse and addictive behaviour.

AI companion and chatbot services would face additional requirements to avoid designs that encourage children to form unhealthy emotional attachments or expose them to harmful exchanges.

"Platforms will have to prove to us that they are safe," von der Leyen said. "Because it is not about our minors accessing social media. It is about when and how do we allow social media to access our minors."

It is not about our minors accessing social media. It is about when and how do we allow social media to access our minors.

Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president

When could the new rules come into force?

The proposals still need to go through the EU's legislative process, meaning the restrictions are not currently in force.

The European Commission is expected to provide more detail in its planned Kids Act, following political pressure from several EU countries, including France and Greece.

If adopted, the new measures would sit alongside existing EU digital legislation, including the Digital Services Act and AI Act.

Companies that fail to comply could face fines of up to 6% of their global annual turnover, according to the draft proposal.

How other countries are approaching children's social media use

The EU's proposal comes as governments around the world consider new ways to limit children's exposure to social media.

Australia and New Zealand have introduced measures aimed at restricting teenagers' access to social media, while France has also been working on proposals to limit access for under-15s.

However, France's Constitutional Council struck down an earlier law banning social media for children under 15 in August, citing concerns about fundamental freedoms. French president Emmanuel Macron has since said the proposal would be reworked.

In the US, Meta recently agreed to a settlement with several states over claims concerning the impact of its platforms on children's mental health, alongside commitments to introduce stronger child-safety measures.

The EU's latest proposal will now be considered by the bloc's 27 member states as part of the next stage of the legislative process.

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