Politico: EU Commission to propose EU-wide age limits for social media on Sept 17

September 14, 2026 at 05:17 PM2 min

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The European Commission will propose an EU-wide age restriction on social media, online games, AI chatbots and video platforms on September 17, Politico reported citing a draft document. The proposal would also require companies to build safety mechanisms into their platforms. The specific age limit has not been specified.

Key Facts

The European Commission will officially propose the EU Child Act on September 17, according to Commission spokesperson Olof Gill.
The draft proposal covers social media, online games, AI chatbots and video-sharing platforms, Politico reported.
Educational applications will be excluded from the scope of the restrictions.
A Commission-appointed expert group on child online safety recommended an EU-wide age limit of 13 for access to limited 'social media plus' platforms.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said details of the new legislative proposals would be given in her State of the Union address on September 16.

Proposal Scope

The European Commission wants to introduce an age restriction on the use of internet platforms across all EU member states, Politico reported citing a draft document. The restrictions are proposed to cover social networks, online games, AI chatbots and video-sharing platforms. Educational applications will be kept outside the scope of the rules. The Commission also wants to oblige companies to build safety mechanisms into the platforms themselves.

Age Limit Debate

The specific age limit has not been specified in the draft proposal. A Commission-appointed expert group on child online safety recommended an EU-wide harmonised age limit of 13 for children's access to limited 'social media plus' platforms. The proposal is expected to include an EU-wide age restriction on social media.

Official Announcements

Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said at the daily press briefing in Brussels that the EU Child Act would be officially proposed on September 17. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on her X account that she would give details of the new legislative proposals in her State of the Union address on September 16. Von der Leyen said the EU must not accept 'childhoods shaped by algorithms'.