Digital Nomad

The EU will ban social networks for under 13 and personal accounts for under 15 Ursula von der Leyen announced the framework of the future EU Kids Act in Strasbourg on September 16 in a speech about the state of the Union. The formal text will be presented by the Commission on Thursday together with Henna Virkkunen, Vice President for Technological Sovereignty. The scheme is strict and gradual. Under 13 years old, social networks are off-limits. From 13 to 15, only "mini-accounts" are allowed: created and managed by parents, with limited features and time restrictions. From 15 to 18, teenagers can create their own profile, but the platform must maintain a safe design: without addictive features, with enhanced settings. Von der Leyen summarized it succinctly: "No social networks until 13. No personal account until 15." And separately: "Each age group has its own vulnerability. Therefore, each will have its own level of protection." The essence of the law is not in another clause in the user agreement. Currently, a child can simply enter a fake birthdate and proceed. The Kids Act should make age verification a mandated obligation, not just a declaration. Brussels looked at Australia, which was the first to introduce a lower limit. The logic of responsibility is also changing. "Platforms must prove that they are safe," said von der Leyen. "It's not about minors accessing social networks. It's about when and how we allow social networks to reach minors." In the same speech, she listed what Europe is "not obliged to accept": features tailored to induce dependence; feeds that draw users into increasingly harsh content; photos of girls that AI turns into sexualized images. According to her, children in the EU spend four to six hours a day on screens. She called this "the capture of attention, focus, and consciousness" and "the theft of childhood." Drafts that agencies saw before the speech go beyond social networks. Video platforms, online games, and AI chatbots could also fall under the same age ladder. The project discusses penalties for violators of up to 6% of global revenue. Until 18 years old, they want to remove autoplay, rewards for reposts, personal recommendations, and free messages from strangers on children's accounts. This is not yet law. The text will go to the European Parliament and to the 27 capitals. France pushed for a minimum age of 15, Spain spoke of 16, the Commission's expert panel leaned towards 13. The compromise announced today falls right in the middle: complete shield until 13, a parental corridor until 15, "safe design" until adulthood. If the text passes close to what was announced, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and others will no longer be able to dismiss it with the phrase "the user stated the age themselves."