The European Commission on Thursday unveiled details of plans to ban children under 13 from using social media.

The commission introduced new restrictions on gaming sites and artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots as part of efforts to improve online safety for minors.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the technology industry “was not created with children’s well-being and development in mind.”

Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where she first announced the plans on Wednesday, Von der Leyen, said platforms were designed to capture users’ attention through algorithms that encourage them to click, react and keep scrolling.

“And too often these addictive features are a business plan,” she said.

The proposal would allow children to access social media from the age of 13 under parental supervision, but they would only be able to create personal accounts from age 15.

It would also introduce new restrictions for providers of other online services that include social media features, such as video sharing platforms, online video games, AI companions and chatbots.

According to the European Commission press release, the safeguards would include a ban on addictive features and profiling-based recommendation feeds that could draw minors into “rabbit holes” of harmful content.

The measures would also prohibit infinite scrolling without stopping points, reward mechanisms, push notifications during sleeping hours and unsolicited contact from strangers.

AI chatbots designed to provide emotional support would be required to introduce safeguards to prevent children from developing emotional dependency on the technology and to reduce the risk of harmful interactions.

The measures come amid reports that some AI applications had failed to respond appropriately when users expressed suicidal thoughts.

The commission said profiles belonging to minors should be private by default, with geolocation, camera and microphone access switched off.

The European Parliament and EU member states are expected to scrutinise and amend the proposal.

An agreement on the final version of the legislation could take months or even years.

EU member states can already impose restrictions on children’s access to social media, but responsibility for enforcing compliance currently falls largely on parents.

The commission said mandatory age checks by major online platforms could only be imposed through EU legislation.

Ms Leyen, a former German family and social affairs minister, campaigned for safer use of social media by children.

She said there was “a robust body of evidence on the harm that social media does to a developing brain and personality.”

She stated, “Too many children are being exposed too early to an online world they are not ready to navigate, an environment where bullying can follow you home, where every mistake can be recorded forever.

“We all know the consequences: sleep deprivation, depression, anxiety, self-harm, addictive behaviour, and tragically, suicide. Parents cannot compete or keep up against algorithms, and they should not have to.”

German Education Minister Karin Prien has backed plans to restrict social media use among children and teenagers, calling for effective age checks, alongside greater media literacy and better information for parents.

Ms Prien also announced plans for a German interim solution while EU-wide rules are being developed.

“We will present key points for German transitional legislation in October,” she said.

Under the planned measures, Germany’s laws protecting minors would be tightened, while gaps in criminal law would also be addressed.

The German government, she said, would work closely with the European Commission as the EU-wide rules are developed.

(dpa/NAN)