Key facts
- The European Commission will propose the EU KIDS Act on Thursday.
- The act will set an EU-wide minimum age for social media access.
- Online products will be required to be safe by design.
- Parental tools will be included in the proposal.
- Enforcement will mirror the Digital Services Act and AI Act.
- Supervisory fees will be paid by companies to fund enforcement.
The European Commission is set to propose the EU KIDS Act on Thursday, aiming to enhance the safety of minors on online platforms. The proposed legislation will establish a minimum age for accessing social media across all European Union member states. In addition to setting an age limit, the act will mandate that online products, including social media, video-sharing platforms, online games, and AI chatbots, be designed with safety as a core principle. Preparatory documents indicate that the proposal will also provide tools for parents and guardians to manage their children's online activities.
The enforcement structure for the EU KIDS Act is expected to resemble that of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act). This would involve a centralized enforcement mechanism for high-risk companies, overseen by the European Commission, and would include supervisory fees levied on companies to fund these operations. The proposal comes amid increasing pressure from political leaders, such as French President Emmanuel Macron, who have been advocating for stricter regulations to protect young users online. France is already pursuing its own national law to restrict children's access to platforms like TikTok and Instagram.