The EU Kids Act could restrict social media, AI chatbots and games for young people

• The EU Kids Act would require app stores to age-rate every app and game with a published methodology.
• Online video games are expected to be impacted, as are AI companions and social media platforms.

The European Union has proposed a plan to improve online safety through the EU Kids Act.

While the proposition mainly focuses on social media restrictions, it would also introduce new obligations for any online service offering video sharing, AI companions and chatbots, as well as online video games.

Minors’ profiles would be required to be private by default, with access to their microphones and cameras switched off.

Geolocation data would also be turned off, meaning uncertain implications for mobile games like Pokémon Go. Such titles may be unimpacted if young users can opt back in to share geolocation data, for example, but even so, online video games are expected to be affected.

App stores would be required to age-rate every app and game with a published methodology.

Raising concerns

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has made a statement on the EU Kids Act today, citing young Europeans’ four to six hours of screentime per day. She added that 92% of Europeans say there should be stronger protections for children and young people online.

"Today, our children are engaging with some of the most sophisticated technology ever created. And it was not created with children's wellbeing and development in mind. Platforms are designed to capture attention. Algorithms learn from our behaviour," she said.

"They exploit it to make us click, react and keep scrolling. And too often these addictive features are a business plan. The goal is to keep the children online and monetise their attention."

Concerns like sleep deprivation, depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide were highlighted.

Thus, the EU Kids Act would prohibit children under 13 from accessing social media - only giving them access to specially designed video-sharing services through accounts managed by a guardian, with a limit of up to an hour per day.

Children aged 13 to 15 would be eligible for "mini accounts" while only those over 15 would be allowed autonomous accounts. This would be assured under the act by requiring online services and app stores to run age assurance tools such as the EU age verification app.

For existing accounts, "reasonable proxies" like account creation date or credit card details would be acceptable alternatives.

Notably, the framing of the proposal claims it "prohibits social media platforms from accessing children under the age of 13" rather than the other way around.

Under the act, AI companions would also be prohibited from simulating interpersonal relationships with young users in a way that may create emotional dependency.