European Commission - Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology

09/17/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/17/2026 02:13

EU KIDS Act to restrict social media platforms’ access to children in the EU

Today, the European Commission has adopted the EU KIDS Act to enhance the online safety of children throughout the Union.

The proposal prohibits social media platforms from accessing children under the age of 13 and sets an EU-wide minimum age for minors to open an account of their own at the age of 15, thereby ensuring a gradual approach. The KIDS Act also reverses the burden of proof. Now, service providers will have to show that their services are age-appropriate and safe by design.

Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, said: "Today, our children are engaging with the most sophisticated technologies ever created. Technology that was never created with their wellbeing in mind. Our KIDS Act is reversing the burden of proof - it is for platforms to show they are safe by design. And we put parents back in the driving seat, giving them the tools to help their children navigate a safer online world."

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  • Policy and legislation
  • 17 September 2026
This proposal seeks to protect minors from risky digital services and AI systems, uphold the digital single market and maintain a coherent regulatory framework and enforcement structure for the protection of minors online.
European Commission - Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology published this content on September 17, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 17, 2026 at 08:13 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]