Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a regulatory framework Wednesday that establishes a strict age ladder for accessing digital services across the bloc. The proposed Kids Act restricts children aged 13 to 15 to parent-supervised accounts with limited features and a 1 hour daily time limit. Personal accounts for anyone under 15 are prohibited, and children under 13 are banned from social media entirely.

Platforms including social media, gaming services, and AI chatbots must now prove their systems are safe, reversing the previous burden of proof. The rules require age verification for all users and mandate "safe design" for those between 15 and 18 years old. Von der Leyen said the measures target addictive features and the production of AI-generated sexualized images of girls.