Source: Eunews

From Strasbourg on 17 September, the Commission President presented the EU Kids Act, a legislative proposal built around four pillars that would regulate children’s online access and impose obligations on platforms, including age limits, safety‑by‑design for services interacting with under‑18s, privacy‑respecting age verification, and strengthened enforcement. The text would ban independent social‑media accounts for children under 15 and prohibit children under 13 from using social media; for ages 13–15, parental “mini‑accounts” are required, with access via a guardian’s account and measures such as limiting social interactions and screen time to a maximum of one hour per day. For children aged 3–13, only video‑sharing services specifically designed for young children and managed by a guardian’s account would be permitted.

The proposal places significant AI‑related constraints on platforms: “AI companions” and chatbots for under‑18s must be disabled by default and must not simulate interpersonal relationships that create emotional dependence; platforms must ban personalised advertising, profiling‑based recommendation feeds, addictive features like infinite scrolling and reward mechanisms, night‑time push notifications, and unsolicited contact from strangers. The Commission highlights that AI software has roles in sectors such as education and cannot be categorically excluded, but any AI platform that permits child access (the example given being ChatGPT) must comply with the rules. Very large online platforms would need to submit compliance plans and undergo independent audits; the Commission can require corrective measures and aims to conclude investigations within 90 days.