The European Union wants to ban chatbots and online games for kids under 15, not just social media

[midian182]

In brief: The EU is continuing its crackdown on allowing children access to social media. A proposed new law wouldn't just target these platforms; it would also restrict children under the age of 15 from accessing video-sharing platforms, chatbots, and online games, with exceptions for supervised use.

Reuters reports that the EU Kids Act is due to be presented on Thursday. However, the draft could still change and needs agreement from EU countries and the European Parliament before becoming law.

There would be different rules for different ages. Those 15 and over could open their own accounts, while parents could set up introductory social media and video-sharing accounts for 13- and 14-year-olds, with restricted contacts and strict time limits.

Children aged 3 to 12 would be limited to child-friendly services through accounts fully controlled by parents. Under-3s would have no access.

The proposal would also require age checks when opening social media and video-sharing accounts, and before children download online games. Companies would have to avoid addictive designs and harmful feeds – a longstanding issue with these platforms.

Ignoring the rules could prove expensive for the companies. The draft includes potential fines of up to 6% of an organization's annual sales. For Meta, which reported 2025 revenue of $200.97 billion, that would mean a maximum fine of roughly $12.1 billion. Its scope also extends beyond the usual social media firms to app stores and AI companions.

The move follows the EU's earlier crackdown on TikTok and Meta over addictive algorithms and child safety failures. In May, Brussels singled out features such as endless scrolling, autoplay, and push notifications, while questioning whether Meta was doing enough to keep younger children off its platforms.

Age verification is already part of that push. The Commission says its age-checking app is ready for deployment and has urged member states to make it available by the end of this year. Getting a common system into users' hands would help platforms implement the proposed restrictions, theoretically.

Similar measures have been appearing in the US. California last week signed new rules banning addictive social media features for under-16s, including autoplay and personalized algorithmic feeds. Its companion chatbot protections require independent child safety audits and annual risk assessments, according to Governor Gavin Newsom's office. There are also penalties of up to $1 million per child when large social media companies negligently cause harm.

Permalink to story:

The European Union wants to ban chatbots and online games for kids under 15, not just social media

 

[The Talking Tech]

If the games have microtransactions I'm with the European Union, as we don't need anymore kids gambling aside from the ones in the U.S since it would take decades before Congress admits it and follows through.

 

[yRaz]

If the games have microtransactions I'm with the European Union, as we don't need anymore kids gambling aside from the ones in the U.S since it would take decades before Congress admits it and follows through.

We pretend like we care but we would never endanger a source of tax revenue, especially while we can sit there and act like we're taking the morale high ground but never do enough to actually solve a problem

 

[LordVile95]

Makes sense, there’s no real need for kids to have access to that and other things are more important. When they’re teenagers more social aspects of games etc can be introduced and then the full on gambling side would be when they’re adults. Hopefully though the introduction gets rid of microtransactions and battle passes because we all know who they’re targeted at.

 

[PierreJG]

This should happen in more countries. Kids commit suicide because of comments left by immature *****s. Our youth should come first. Chatbots/AI/Socials and some gaming should be limited.

 

[Squid Surprise]

And we’re going to enforce this by requiring everyone to use photo identification to register for anything? Privacy? Nah….

This is how police states begin (or in some cases, continue)… don’t believe the “it’s for the children” nonsense… hey parents, do your jobs and supervise your kids!

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Age verification requires everyone to give up their privacy and it will be used against everyone.

But if you could magically fix that, preteens not being on social media would be a good thing - but honestly everyone not being on social media would be a good thing.

 

[LordVile95]

Age verification requires everyone to give up their privacy and it will be used against everyone.

But if you could magically fix that, preteens not being on social media would be a good thing - but honestly everyone not being on social media would be a good thing.

A mandatory option to toggle off all algorithmic feeds or an outright ban would be good

 

[Inthenstus]

Man, when’s the EU joining the Chinese Federation? Every year they become more and more like the communist country.

 

[NumberNine]

Getting a common system into users' hands would help platforms implement the proposed restrictions, theoretically.

That's a nice treasure trove of data you're building there. It would be a shame if the internet happened to it.

It will.

 

[Gars]

Yet another government trying to do the job of parents

 

[Dreadcthulhu]

Man, when’s the EU joining the Chinese Federation? Every year they become more and more like the communist country.

Amusingly, the Chinese actually do have laws restricting game time for those under 18, and certain other online services. Legally, children in China are only allowed to play video games for three hours a week, 8pm to 9 pm, on Fri-Sun. Granted, these laws are widely ignored by children all across China. Which I guess is a major strike against having this sort of nonsense; if even the PRC has a great deal of difficulty enforcing this sort of law, its going to be almost impossible for Euro countries to enforce it in any meaningful way. And generally, passing laws you know can't be enforced is a stupid idea. But as others mentioned, the real reason governments want these sorts of laws is to force more ID verification on the internet, not to actually protect children.

 

[Honest Abe]

I mean, kids in their teens should be able to play some games. That seems a little ridiculous.

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

I say give parents the tools to let them parent their own kids, but don't do it for them. Before, we had parental controls. Now we have the nanny state.

 

[LordVile95]

Yet another government trying to do the job of parents

I say give parents the tools to let them parent their own kids, but don't do it for them. Before, we had parental controls. Now we have the nanny state.

Not really how it works and even then bad parents exist. Ultimately the companies are predatory towards children and adults, at least this restricts their access to kids.

Also we have age restrictions for most things, do you think we should lift age limits on driving, alcohol, tobacco etc etc?

 

[psycros]

The EU will ban anything to do with kids, except grooming gangs.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

You know,the more you try to ban and limit things, all you do is create a whole generation of kids who are incredibly naive to the realities of the world and/or develop an even stronger aversion to the law. Did we learn nothing from prohibition?

 

[LordVile95]

You know,the more you try to ban and limit things, all you do is create a whole generation of kids who are incredibly naive to the realities of the world and/or develop an even stronger aversion to the law. Did we learn nothing from prohibition?

Social media isn’t the “realities of the world” if anything they’d have a better view than most people

 

[Puiu]

Yet another government trying to do the job of parents

Letting companies do whatever they want is just stupid. The government is elected to do things like this. It's their job. Whether it's too strict or not is another topic. I personally doubt it will pass as is, it's just an initial draft.

 

[mbk34]

This is how police states begin (or in some cases, continue)… don’t believe the “it’s for the children” nonsense… hey parents, do your jobs and supervise your kids!

It's obvious there is a problem with bad influences over kids. This is a good step in the right direction. Parents should obviously be responsible for their kids but some parents are more capable than others.

If you're worried about police states then it might be worth looking at the mote in your own eye before commenting on a small splinter in ours.

 

[Jarenien]

Under 15 is a little harsh. 10 seems more appropriate.

 

[Squid Surprise]

It's obvious there is a problem with bad influences over kids. This is a good step in the right direction. Parents should obviously be responsible for their kids but some parents are more capable than others.

It’s being made to seem obvious by those who have an interest in doing so.

Fix the economy, healthcare and other stuff before you meddle with nonsense like social media…

If you're worried about police states then it might be worth looking at the mote in your own eye before commenting on a small splinter in ours.

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance… don’t give your rights away so easily - you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

 

[LordVile95]

It’s being made to seem obvious by those who have an interest in doing so.

Fix the economy, healthcare and other stuff before you meddle with nonsense like social media…

Social media is directly related to mental health issues

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance… don’t give your rights away so easily - you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

You seek to be one of the people like in r US who believes their guns as more important than children’s lives because “armed militia” despite that being an outdated argument.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Social media is directly related to mental health issues

So is poverty… let’s address that first…

You seek to be one of the people like in r US who believes their guns as more important than children’s lives because “armed militia” despite that being an outdated argument.

No… the right to bare arms is antiquated… the right to privacy isn’t… at least… not yet…

 

[LordVile95]

So is poverty… let’s address that first…

Banning social media is much easier and quicker than tackling poverty. Why not do both?

No… the right to bare arms is antiquated… the right to privacy isn’t… at least… not yet…

Which this has nothing to do with. It anything it’s preventing companies collecting data and harming privacy.