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EU KIDS Act to restrict social media platforms’ access to children in the EU

  • PRESS RELEASE
  • Publication 17 September 2026

The European Commission has adopted the EU KIDS Act to enhance the online safety of children throughout the Union.

illustration of a browser window surrounded by small people, displaying icons for video, location, likes, and a shield protecting children.

The proposal prohibits social media platforms from accessing children under the age of 13 and sets an EU-wide minimum age for minors to open an account of their own at the age of 15, thereby ensuring a gradual approach. The KIDS Act also reverses the burden of proof. Now, service providers will have to show that their services are age-appropriate and safe by design.

Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “Today, our children are engaging with the most sophisticated technologies ever created. Technology that was never created with their wellbeing in mind. Our KIDS Act is reversing the burden of proof - it is for platforms to show they are safe by design. And we put parents back in the driving seat, giving them the tools to help their children navigate a safer online world.”

Read the full press release and factsheet.

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Last update

30 September 2026