According to a regulatory proposal introduced by the European Commission, children under 13 will be banned from using social media, while those aged 13 to 15 will require parental supervision, raising significant concerns among digital privacy advocates about widespread identity checks for all internet users. The sweeping digital safety framework aims to restrict underage access across multiple online platforms, but critics warn the enforcement mechanism effectively creates a universal age-verification system reminiscent of the controversial Chat Control initiative.
European Commission Proposes Strict Age Limits for Social Media and AI Companions
Under the new regulatory framework, children under the age of 13 will lose access to social media entirely, according to the European Commission’s proposal. For teenagers between 13 and 15 years old, parents will be able to set up restricted mini-accounts, and youths will only be permitted to hold independent accounts starting at age 15. Younger children will be limited to approved platforms designed specifically for age-appropriate content under strict parental supervision.
The rules extend well beyond traditional social media. According to the draft legislation, obligations will also apply to video-sharing platforms, online video games, AI chatbots, and AI companions. Furthermore, the proposal mandates a “safe by design” principle, which requires developers to eliminate addictive features like endless scrolling and nighttime push notifications for minors.
Age Verification Mandates Threaten Universal User Privacy
Enforcing these age thresholds creates a major hurdle for platforms, as services cannot distinguish between a minor and an adult without checking the age of every user, according to the European Commission. To comply with the proposed EU KIDS Act, online services and app stores will be forced to integrate age-verification tools. While the Commission suggests utilizing an upcoming European age-verification application designed to handle checks without storing personal identity documents or biometric data, security researchers have already managed to breach test versions of this app within minutes.
Privacy advocates argue that verifying the age of minors inherently means checking the age of every internet user. Czech Pirate Party Member of European Parliament Markéta Gregorová warned that enforcement requires controlling everyone who creates an account. “To enforce a ban, we must start checking the user’s age—meaning not just children, but everyone who wants to create an account. I consider this dangerous,” Gregorová stated, adding that providing more identity data increases the risk of breaches.
Digital Identity Wallets and the Risk of Surveillance Backdoors
Organizations dedicated to privacy rights share these concerns. Jan Vobořil, executive director of the privacy advocacy group Iuridicum Remedium (IuRe), pointed out that the obligation to verify age applies to all platform visitors rather than just children. According to Vobořil, implementing these systems could edge the internet closer to a mandatory identity-check environment, often described as an “internet tied to national ID cards.”
Although the European Commission asserts that identity proof and age verification will remain technically separate, Iuridicum Remedium cautions that implementation relies heavily on individual member states, leaving potential digital footprints behind. Vobořil also warned of pressure from security agencies seeking backdoors to track online identities, compounding risks discovered when test applications were bypassed almost immediately.
Do Age Restrictions Actually Protect Minors Online?
Evidence from international implementations suggests that mandatory age verification faces severe practical limitations. According to Iuridicum Remedium, experiences in the United Kingdom and Australia demonstrate that users routinely bypass age restrictions regardless of the underlying technology, whether platforms use biometric checks, behavioral analysis, or digital identity wallets.
In Australia, minors circumvent controls by migrating to alternative platforms, using the identities of parents or older peers, bypassing biometric scans, or employing virtual private networks (VPNs) to mask their geographic location. IuRe warns that such measures create a false sense of security while eroding baseline privacy standards for the broader public. The legislative proposal now heads to the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union for formal review.
Did You Know?
Security experts have previously demonstrated that prototype digital age-verification applications proposed by regulators can be bypassed within minutes during independent penetration testing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the proposed age limits for social media in the EU?
According to the European Commission’s proposal, children under 13 cannot use social media, users aged 13 to 15 require parental mini-accounts, and independent accounts are restricted to those 15 and older.
Will adults have to verify their age online under the new rules?
Yes. Critics and privacy groups point out that enforcing age limits on minors requires platforms to verify the age of every user attempting to access covered services.
What technologies will be used for age verification?
The proposal references digital identity wallets and EU-backed verification tools, though experts and advocacy groups warn these systems face severe security vulnerabilities and are easily bypassed.
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