European Union vs. Social Networks: "We Have Reached a Critical Juncture"

The European Commission is advancing groundbreaking legislation that would ban the use of social media and AI chatbots for children under 15 without parental consent. Companies will be required to prove their platforms are safe and face billions in fines if they fail to verify compliance. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warns: "We will set the rules, not the tech giants."

The European Commission is advancing groundbreaking and stringent legislation, the Kids Act, designed to protect minors in the digital space. According to a report in the Financial Times, the law would completely ban the use of social media, online gaming platforms, and AI chatbots for minors under 15 without parental supervision. Children under 13 would only be able to browse under direct parental accompaniment, and those aged 13 to 15 could open limited accounts subject to browsing time quotas. Tech companies would be required to block addictive features, stop the distribution of fake sexual images of girls created by AI, and prevent unhealthy emotional engagement with minors. Platforms that fail to verify user ages risk fines of up to 6% of their annual global revenue. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a speech: "Europe has the power to act. We are the ones who set the rules, not the tech giants. No social media under 13, and no personal account under 15. We are shifting the burden of proof – platforms will have to prove to us that they are safe." The move comes amid growing political pressure from countries like France and Greece, and joins existing flagship digital laws in Europe. US President Donald Trump has previously accused Brussels of deliberately targeting American companies and threatened to impose tariffs. Von der Leyen called for international cooperation with the UK and Canada on model testing and early warning mechanisms.