# 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.
- Title: EU plans social media ban for kids under 13 · WIRED | Shortify
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: european union, ursula von der leyen, eu kids act, social media ban, children online safety, digital fairness act, age verification, parental supervision, big tech regulation, france, australia, plans
- Source: WIRED — https://wired.com/story/the-eu-bans-social-media-for-under-13s
- Author: Isabella Ward
- Published: 2026-09-16T10:19:46.494+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: european union, ursula von der leyen, eu kids act, social media ban, children online safety, digital fairness act, age verification, parental supervision, big tech regulation, france, australia, uk
## 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.
## Key takeaway

The EU is proposing a total social media ban for under-13s and limited, parent-supervised access for 13-15 year olds.