EU moves to ban social media for minors under 15 with new Kids Act
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a proposed EU Kids Act on September 16, 2026, banning social media for children under 13 and restricting personal accounts for those under 15, with tiered "mini accounts" for 13-14 year olds under parental supervision. The proposal follows French President Emmanuel Macron's September 8 letter urging bloc-wide legislation after France's Constitutional Council struck down its national ban. The draft law would require platforms to be "safe by design" for minors and shift the burden of proof onto companies.
- Reutersfirst
- Bloomberg+5.4 h
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- South China Morning Post+177.4 h
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- Globe and Mail+223.5 h
- Deutsche Welle+226.8 h
Broad agreement on what happened
Outlets across the spectrum land in roughly the same place: the shared language is highlighted.
“EU to restrict social media and chatbots for children under 15 - Financial Times”FT Financial Times RIGHT-CENTER
“EU to propose curbing social media, online games for under 15s” · Reuters, South China Morning Post, Bloomberg, Le Monde, BBC, Globe and Mail, Deutsche Welle