EU Proposes Under-13 Social Media Ban and Under-15 Supervision Rules for Chatbots and Games

The European Commission has proposed a bloc-wide child-online-safety regime that would bar social media use under age 13 and block independent personal accounts under age 15. The plan, previewed by President Ursula von der Leyen on September 16, 2026, would also cover certain online games and AI chatbots or companions, putting age gates and design duties at the center of the EU's next digital-regulation push.