EU Proposed Legislation to Limit Social Media for Minors
New European Union rules would mandate parental controls and safety features for users under 18.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Pre-Teens
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Should governments impose stricter age and design regulations on social media platforms for minors?
The European Commission has introduced the EU KIDS Act, a legislative proposal that establishes tiered social media access based on age. The rules mandate specific safety design standards for any service used by minors under 18.
Why it matters
This initiative follows recommendations from the Special Panel on Child Safety Online to reduce potential harms from addictive digital features. The proposal aims to standardize protective measures across social media and video sharing platforms for young users.
The proposed framework restricts full access until age 13, requires parental controls for 13 and 14-year-olds including a one-hour daily limit, and mandates safe-by-design standards for all users under 18.
The players
European Commission
The executive branch of the European Union responsible for proposing legislation and implementing decisions to regulate digital safety standards across member states.
Special Panel on Child Safety Online
An advisory body whose recent report served as the foundational evidence for the new EU legislative framework regarding minors and social media.
The details
The act mandates that platforms implement safety plans and safe-by-design architecture to serve users under 18. Specifically, services must remove addictive features such as infinite scrolling and push notifications for these younger demographics. Companies must demonstrate these safety safeguards before obtaining authorization to provide services to children.
Timeline
September 22, 2026: The European Commission published the EU KIDS Act legislative proposal.
The Home Front
The EU KIDS Act marks a significant regulatory shift toward mandatory safety-by-design standards for digital services accessible to minors. This proposal mirrors broader international trends to curb addictive platform features and formalize digital age-assurance requirements for households.
Families should review their current household rules regarding social media usage in anticipation of potential new platform-wide safety features. Parents should prepare to manage mini-account permissions if these regulatory requirements move forward for their 13 and 14-year-olds.
The takeaway
The EU KIDS Act seeks to create a safer digital environment by requiring platforms to limit addictive design elements for all users under 18. Consider auditing the current settings on your family devices to identify which apps rely on infinite scrolls or frequent push notifications.
Further reading
Learn more about managing digital boundaries for your children in our Pre-Teens section.
Live Poll
Should governments impose stricter age and design regulations on social media platforms for minors?
