EU Unveils Sweeping Kids Act to Restrict Gaming, Social Media, and AI for Minors

The European Commission has unveiled the Keeping Internet Digital Spaces Accountable and Trustworthy Act, a sweeping legislative proposal designed to enforce tiered digital restrictions across online gaming, social networking, video-sharing platforms, and artificial intelligence companions for children under 18. Announced by EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, the proposed framework establishes mandatory age verification, stringent safety-by-design standards, and strict parental control mechanisms across all 27 member states, backed by financial penalties reaching up to six percent of a company's total worldwide annual turnover for severe breaches.

The initiative responds to mounting global concern over digital harms and addictive online designs, drawing inspiration from prior regulatory actions in nations such as Australia. The draft rules introduce differentiated restrictions according to precise age brackets, prohibiting general social media and platform accounts for children under 13 while granting restricted, guardian-supervised access for older minors under specific daily time caps.

The proposed legislation divides minors into distinct age tiers, enforcing targeted limitations on platform access and digital engagement. For children under 13, general social media and video-sharing accounts are prohibited, though specialized video platforms designed for younger children may be accessed exceptionally via a parent or guardian account under strict safety conditions. For minors aged 13 to under 15, platforms may permit introductory accounts only when established and supervised by holders of parental responsibility, mandating strict feature limitations and a mandatory daily screen-time cap of no more than one hour.

Online games, video game platforms, and app stores fall directly within the scope of the regulatory framework. Video game providers must implement safeguards to prevent addictive use patterns and ensure that games cannot be exploited to entice children into unauthorized external communications. App stores are required to enforce age-rating systems that block underage users from accessing or purchasing inappropriate software. Furthermore, operating systems must support compliant age signals without forcing unnecessary data collection.

Beyond basic account limitations, the draft legislation mandates comprehensive safety-by-design requirements for all covered digital services. Social networking and video-sharing platforms must disable default features categorized as addictive, including auto-play mechanics, infinite scrolling, real-time livestreaming to indeterminate audiences, and unsolicited push notifications designed to prompt re-engagement. Recommender systems must be re-engineered to operate without profiling children, and personal data capture from external web environments is strictly prohibited.

Default settings across covered platforms must automatically deactivate geolocation tracking, microphone access, and camera capabilities. Communication restrictions prevent strangers from directly contacting minors unless pre-approved, and group additions require explicit prior consent from the child. For economic transactions, platforms must clearly display the monetary value of virtual currencies and suppress design elements that encourage impulsive or excessive spending by young users.

Artificial intelligence systems, including AI companions and conversational chatbots, face specific governance structures under the proposed act. Providers must avoid system behaviors that simulate interpersonal relationships or foster emotional dependencies in minors. The regulation requires comprehensive pre-market evaluations and risk testing regarding child development, health, and fundamental rights, alongside ongoing post-market monitoring.

In social networks and video platforms, chatbot or AI companion features cannot be prominently displayed or automatically activated. While online networking and video services fall under the enforcement mechanisms of the Digital Services Act, AI companions and chatbots are subjected to the oversight framework established by the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act, exposing developers to severe non-compliance fines.

Enforcement of the proposed rules relies heavily on robust age assurance mechanisms. Self-declaration and basic age estimation are explicitly barred for restricted services. Instead, providers must deploy secure, EU-certified age-verification solutions that confirm age thresholds without compromising user privacy or revealing identifying personal data. Member States are required to provide at least one free public verification tool and an electronic method to prove parental responsibility.

The regulatory proposal must navigate formal negotiations between the European Parliament and EU member capitals before taking effect. Very large online platforms face accelerated compliance obligations, including detailed risk assessments, independent third-party audits, and annual supervisory fees capped at 0.03 percent of annual net income, alongside existing regulatory oversight regimes.