# EU plans total social media ban for under 13s

> Ursula von der Leyen announces draft legislation to protect children from apps she says are stealing their childhood.
- Title: EU plans total social media ban for under 13s · the Guardian
- Summary: Ursula von der Leyen announces draft legislation to protect children from apps she says are stealing their childhood. The EU is moving toward banning social…
- Keywords: european union, ursula von der leyen, social media ban, children safety, digital regulation, under 13s, european commission, digital fairness act, tech regulation, parental controls, news, world
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/16/eu-social-media-ban-under-13s
- Published: 2026-09-16T14:39:26+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: european union, ursula von der leyen, social media ban, children safety, digital regulation, under 13s, european commission, digital fairness act, tech regulation, parental controls, news, world
## Von der Leyen announces social media ban
The European Commission president confirmed the EU will draft a law banning social media for under 13s entirely. She said apps are depriving children of their childhood and tech platforms must prove their products are safe.

> depriving children of their childhood
## Teens get supervised mini accounts
Children aged 13 to 15 will be allowed limited social media access through parental-supervised mini accounts with strict time limits. The full plan will be published Thursday and requires approval from the European Parliament and all 27 EU member states.
## Digital Fairness Act targets addictive design
The EU's Digital Fairness Act, coming to parliament this year, will tackle addictive design features that harm users. Von der Leyen said big tech platforms use manipulative design to keep people hooked.
## Tech platforms must prove safety
Von der Leyen said social media companies need to demonstrate their products are safe for children. The burden of proof shifts to tech companies rather than regulators having to prove harm.
## Plan requires parliament and member state approval
The social media ban proposal will be published Thursday but needs agreement from the European Parliament and all 27 EU member states to become law. This multi-step approval process could take months or years.
## Key takeaway

The EU is moving toward banning social media entirely for children under 13, with supervised 'mini accounts' allowed for ages 13-15.