The EU will ban children under 13 from using social media platforms, some gaming platforms, and AI chatbots without parental supervision. The ban is set to be outlined in the Kids Act, which will be published on Thursday, reports Financial Times.
"No social media under the age of 13. No personal account under the age of 15," said the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in a speech on Wednesday. "Europe has the power to act. It is us who decide the rules, not big tech."
According to a draft proposal seen by FT, children under 13 will only be allowed access with supervision from a parent, while children between 13 and 15 will need parental consent to create accounts with parental controls and other restrictions like time limits.
Meanwhile, social media companies, online gaming services, and AI chatbots will be required to introduce safeguards to protect children from abuse and addictive behavior, and companies that offer AI companions and chatbots services will have to avoid designs that encourage unhealthy emotional attachments or expose them to harmful interactions.
Affected companies will also be required to verify the age of users with an official age verification app. Failure to comply with the rules could result in fines of up to 6% of their global annual revenue.
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