The European Union outlined plans on Wednesday to restrict social media use for children under 15, proposing the EU Kids Act. The proposal would bar children under the age of 13 from using social media, while teens aged 13 and 14 could access supervised 'mini accounts' limiting contact with strangers and screen time. Access to independent accounts would be allowed from age 15.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, announced the plan during a State of the Union address in Strasbourg, France. She emphasized that the goal is not to stop minors from accessing social media, but to control when and how platforms reach them.

The EU, home to 450 million people, has historically regulated tech aggressively, influencing companies like Apple, Google, and Meta. The EU Kids Act joins a global trend, following Australia's ban on children under 16 and similar proposals in France, Denmark, and Malaysia. Critics warn that enforcement is challenging and age verification raises privacy concerns.