EU Proposes Binding Social Media Age Limits Across Member States

The European Commission has unveiled the EU Kids Act, proposing a legally binding, bloc-wide framework restricting under-13s from social media entirely and limiting 13-to-15-year-olds to one hour a day via parent-linked "mini accounts," with fines of up to 6% of global sales for non-compliant platforms. Crucially, the regulation would override individual national laws such as France's and Spain's, with member states unable to opt out once it takes effect. The move illustrates a broader pattern of national authority over digital and family life being transferred to centralised EU-wide rule-making, extending Brussels' regulatory reach into a domain previously governed by member states.