From WIRED · Isabella Ward · · 1m 20s
EU plans social media ban for kids under 13
New EU Kids Act would restrict children's access to platforms, with supervised accounts for teens aged 13 to 15.
In brief
New EU Kids Act would restrict children's access to platforms, with supervised accounts for teens aged 13 to 15. The EU is proposing a total social media ban for under-13s and limited, parent-supervised access for 13-15 year olds. Originally reported by WIRED.
Total ban for under-13s
The EU announced plans to ban social media for children under 13. Von der Leyen says platforms capture kids' attention, focus, and minds.
Supervised mini accounts for teens
Kids aged 13 to 15 can't have personal accounts. They'll get parent-supervised mini accounts with limited features for one hour daily.
Europe sets the rules
Von der Leyen rejects the idea that Big Tech's power is impossible to roll back. She insists Europe decides the rules, not tech companies.
“Europe has the power to act; it is us who decide the rules, not Big Tech.”
Seventeen states already moving
Seventeen of the EU's 27 member states are already preparing legislation to protect minors online, including setting minimum ages.
Privacy concerns with monitoring
Parental monitoring could be problematic, warns lawyer Arnav Joshi. Deep-dive parental access may chill how children use services and affect their privacy rights.
“anything that has deep dive, God-mode style parental access can have a bit of a chilling effect”
Age verification challenges
Enforcing age limits isn't straightforward. Making checks accurate without harming privacy or user experience remains a major challenge.
“A key issue is how to carry out the age checks and it's not straightforward”
Implementation by 2029
Getting all member states aligned and running through the EU legislative process will likely take until 2029, expects technology lawyer Arnav Joshi.
The essence
The EU is proposing a total social media ban for under-13s and limited, parent-supervised access for 13-15 year olds.
