EU Targets AI Companions In Sweeping New Child Safety Push

Officials in the European Union are moving to wall off children from artificial intelligence chatbots and social media platforms.

The European Commission plans to unveil a policy to restrict minors from accessing social media and AI companions before age 15, Politico reported Monday. The EU proposal, called the EU KIDS Act, would restrict Instagram and TikTok and follows Meta’s $17.1 billion August 26 settlement with 47 states over claims it designed its social media platforms to addict children.

The move would establish a tiered approach to age restrictions for children under 15 to access the social media platforms with parental supervision, Politico reported. Children under the age of 13 can only create an account made by their parents, and children between 13 and 15 would be given accounts with contact, screen time, and parental controls.

Once children reach 15 years old, they can create their own accounts on the platforms, according to the outlet.

The proposal will be publicly announced on Thursday, a spokesperson told Politico.

Companies would be required to pay supervisory fees to the European Commission under the proposal, Politico reported.

The European Commission, Meta and TikTok each did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

Australia similarly began enforcing social media bans on accounts under 16 in December 2025, according to the New York Times. The country required Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok to incorporate “reasonable steps” to keep children off of their platforms.

In the U.S., Florida bars children under 14 from social media accounts and requires parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to use these platforms, according to Florida’s 2024 Online Protections for Minors law.