The European Commission aims to drastically restrict children’s and teenagers’ access to online platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. As Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in her State of the Union address, the proposed “KIDS ACT” outlines a strict ban for children under 13 alongside a multi-tiered protection framework for adolescents.
Tiered Model: Independent Accounts Only from Age 15
According to the Commission, the legislative proposal draws inspiration from international models like Australia and divides access into three age tiers:
- Under 13 years old: Social media usage is to be completely prohibited. Platforms will be barred from offering accounts to this age group.
- Ages 13 to 15: Teenagers will not be allowed to set up their own full profiles. Only so-called “mini-accounts,” configured and monitored by parents, will be permitted. These accounts will feature time limits and restricted functionality.
- From age 15: Independent access will be permitted, provided platform operators meet strict requirements for child-safe design.
Initial insights emerged earlier as the EU Commission prepared the planned social media ban for children under 13. According to von der Leyen, the initiative is backed by research and expert consultations highlighting risks such as sleep deprivation, impaired concentration, and daily screen times ranging from four to six hours.
Ban on Doomscrolling and Reversal of the Burden of Proof
A cornerstone of the draft legislation is the principle of “Safety by Design.” Networks must prove that their user interfaces do not deliberately hook or manipulate minors. Features such as endless scrolling (known as doomscrolling) or video autoplay are to be disabled by default. The legislation also aims to protect young users from the unauthorized misuse of imagery for AI-generated sexualized content.
Furthermore, Brussels intends to reverse the burden of proof: In the future, tech corporations must actively demonstrate to regulators that their services do not compromise the safety and mental health of minors.
Concerns Over Age Verification and Data Privacy
While the terms of service of many platforms already state a minimum age of 13, enforcement is widely considered ineffective. However, mandating age verification by law introduces significant technical challenges. Data-minimizing age verification systems, such as the European Digital Identity (EU Wallet) or a specialized “mini-wallet” concept, are currently under discussion.
Digital rights initiatives have voiced concerns: Ensuring reliable age verification could necessitate sweeping ID checks for all internet users, directly impacting online privacy and anonymity.
What’s Next?
The detailed legislative text is now being presented. Before the rules can take effect, the European Parliament and member states must debate and approve the draft. Observers expect the legislative process to take several months or even years. For the fall, the Commission has also announced the “Digital Fairness Act,” aimed at regulating addictive design mechanisms for adult consumers as well.
Quellen: Heise – News, Heise – Netzpolitik, Detuschlandfunk.de, Spiegel.de, tagesschau.de, stadt-bremerhaven.de, taz.de
