The European Commission is preparing an EU Kids Act that would prevent children under 13 from using social media and create a more restricted online environment for younger teenagers. The proposal still needs approval from the European Parliament and the EU’s 27 member states.

Coverage from the Brazil Right frames the initiative in its clearest terms: an EU proposal to ban social-media access for children under 13.¹ That emphasis matches the central threshold announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, but leaves aside the broader set of obligations envisaged for technology companies.

The Brazil Left account describes a graduated system rather than a single blanket limit. Von der Leyen said there should be “no social media before 13 and no personal accounts before 15.”² Under the plan, users aged 13 to 15 would have parent-installed and supervised “mini-accounts,” with restricted functions and limited time online. Platforms serving 15- to 18-year-olds would be required to use safer design features.²

The detailed proposal would also reach beyond conventional social networks. According to the report, its rules could apply to AI assistants, chatbots and online games, while platforms would have to systematically verify the ages of new users. Companies would also be expected to remove features considered especially engaging, including infinite scrolling and highly personalised recommendations.²

Both accounts therefore focus on stronger protections for children, but they differ in emphasis. One foregrounds the proposed under-13 ban; the other portrays it as part of a wider regulatory package that would reshape how digital services are designed and offered to minors. Non-compliant operators could face fines of up to 6% of global turnover.²