The Commission has presented the EU KIDS Act: safety-by-design rules also target AI companions and chatbots

The Commission has presented a proposal for a regulation, the EU KIDS Act (COM(2026) 681), under which children under 13 may not have a social media account (with the exception of limited access to video services designed for children through a parent's account), children aged 13 to 15 may only have an account under parental control, and an independent account may be opened only from the age of 15.

The safety-by-design rules apply to social media, video-sharing platforms, online games and AI companions and chatbots where they are available to users under 18. For minors, the proposal prohibits features that encourage compulsive or excessive use: endless autoplay and infinite scrolling without real breaks, notifications designed to pull the child back into the service, rewards for posting or streaming to mass audiences, and “streak” mechanics that penalise a child for not returning every day. For minors, recommender systems are to be optimised for safety and mental health rather than engagement, and tracking-based personalisation is to be off by default.

AI companions and chatbots are to be switched off by default and may not simulate relationships that create emotional dependency. Their risks to children must be tested before they are placed on the market. For chatbots, supervision builds on the AI Act; for platforms, on the DSA. The burden of proof rests with very large online platforms (VLOPs).

Online services and app stores are to use age assurance tools; a user's self-declared age will no longer suffice. Social media services and video-sharing platforms will verify age when a new account is opened and estimate the age of existing account holders on the basis of reasonable proxies (e.g. the account creation date or credit card details). Age can be verified using the EU age verification app and, in time, the European Digital Identity Wallet. The app retains no identity documents or biometric data and tells the platform only whether the user meets the relevant age threshold; app stores must carry it. Each Member State is to ensure at least one free means of proving age.

The proposal will now be examined by the European Parliament and the Council. According to the Commission, it is essential that the regulation be adopted as swiftly as possible.