The proposal prohibits access to social networks for children under 13 years old and sets a minimum age for creating an account at 15 years. The EU KIDS ACT also shifts the burden of proof: now it is the service providers who must prove that their services are age-appropriate and safe by design. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen noted that today children interact with the most complex technologies ever created. "With technologies that were never designed with their well-being in mind. The EU KIDS ACT shifts the burden of proof — platforms must demonstrate that their services are safe by design. And we are once again handing the reins back to parents, providing them with tools to help their children navigate a safer online world." The proposed EU KIDS ACT is based on four key principles. According to the proposal, children will only be able to create personal accounts on social networks from the age of 15. For children aged 13 to 15, parental control will be required. This means that guardians will be able to create mini-accounts, which children will access through their guardian's account. This will provide them access to age-appropriate social networks and video hosting services. Additionally, services available through mini-accounts will need to include protective measures such as limiting social contacts and screen time to one hour per day. This will allow guardians to support their children's independent and safe development in the online space. Children aged 3 to 13 will not have access to social networks but will be able to use special, adapted video services through accounts managed by guardians. If an adult hands their device to a child, they must have the ability to easily ensure access only to child-safe services and limit their usage to one hour per day. The restrictions will apply to all online services offering social networking, video sharing, online gaming, AI companions, and chatbots to users under 18. Addictive content and algorithms based on profile analysis will be prohibited. Infinite scrolling without natural breaks, reward tricks, and push notifications at night, as well as unwanted contacts with strangers, will also be banned. Furthermore, AI companions and chatbots must be turned off by default, and they will be prohibited from mimicking human relationships in a way that creates emotional dependency. Profiles of minors must be private by default, and geolocation and access to the camera and microphone must be disabled. Online services will also need to provide minors with simple ways to block users and disable notifications from them, effective tools for managing time, and safe recommendation systems that they can control, customize, and reset. According to the EU KIDS ACT, online services and app stores will need to use age verification tools. For example, they may use a special EU app for age verification that does not store identity documents or biometric data. Additionally, social network and video hosting providers are encouraged to verify the age of each new user when creating an account. For existing accounts, service providers will need to assess the user's age based on available data, such as the account creation date or credit card information. From now on, providers of very large digital platforms will need to prove that their services are safe by design. Platforms will need to present a compliance plan to both the European Commission and an independent auditor, who will conduct a thorough assessment of each new service or feature. If the European Commission finds deficiencies in the plan based on the auditor's report, it may require the service provider to address them. This proposal will now be discussed by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. This proposal is based on the report and recommendations of an expert group convened by President von der Leyen.
