EU Kids Act: Europe Proposes Banning Social Media and Chatbots for Under-15s

The European Commission is presenting this Thursday, September 18, 2026, the EU Kids Act, the most sweeping proposal anywhere to protect children online. According to the draft reported by the European press, children under 15 will be barred from social media, video-sharing platforms, AI chatbots and online games, with graduated access tiers by age. The plan is being unveiled by President Ursula von der Leyen and tech chief Henna Virkkunen — and still needs approval from member states and the European Parliament.

Quick answer: what does the EU Kids Act propose?

An age ladder: under 3, no social media or other high-risk services at all; from 3 to 13, only child-friendly services under adult supervision; from 13 to 14, “introductory” accounts on social and video platforms opened by parents, with limited contacts and strict time limits; from 15, full accounts. AI chatbots and online games fall under the same rules. Companies will also have to adopt safety features against abuse and addictive design.

The age tiers

AI chatbots make the list

What is new compared with earlier laws is the inclusion of chatbots — ChatGPT, Gemini, Character.AI and the like — and online games alongside social networks. The Commission treats AI assistants as an equivalent-risk service for minors, following cases of emotional dependence and inappropriate content. In practice, platforms will need reliable age verification, and the EU is already piloting a digital age wallet for that purpose.

What could still change

It is a proposal, not a law. The text goes through the Council (the 27 governments) and the European Parliament, and the draft may be amended — including the age cutoff, which some countries wanted at 16. Brussels has also warned countries that created national rules on their own not to overstep; the Kids Act is the attempt to unify them.

The global ripple effect

Several countries have moved first on parts of this: Australia’s under-16 social media ban, and Brazil’s “ECA Digital” law, in force since March 2026, which requires age verification and parental linkage of minors’ accounts. Europe goes further by fixing 15 as the age and by folding chatbots and games into the same rule. If the Kids Act passes, the same platforms are likely to apply age verification globally rather than build separate systems — which would affect users everywhere.

Why this matters to you

For parents, the message is that age verification is coming to the apps your kids use — and it will be stricter than a “confirm you are 13” checkbox. For anyone in marketing or digital products, it removes part of the young audience on social networks and chatbots in Europe, with a cascade into platforms’ global policies. And for the AI sector, it is the first clear sign that chatbots will be regulated like social networks, not like neutral tools.

Frequently asked questions

Is the EU Kids Act already law?

No. It is a proposal presented by the European Commission on September 18, 2026. It must be approved by member states and the European Parliament and may change along the way.

Will chatbots like ChatGPT be banned for under-15s in Europe?

Under the proposal, yes — AI chatbots fall under the same rule as social media and online games, with access allowed only from age 15.

Which countries already have similar rules?

Australia has an under-16 social media ban, and Brazil’s ECA Digital (in force since March 2026) requires age verification and parental linkage, though without a national minimum age for social media.

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