Leaked Draft of 'EU Kids Act' Reveals Sweeping Online Youth Protections
Based on a leaked draft, the "EU Kids Act" regulation would create a tiered system of access for minors, mandate safety-by-design, and introduce fines of up to 6% of global turnover for non-compliance.
The European Commission has announced a proposal for a new regulation, the "EU Kids Act," to create a unified framework for protecting minors online. The move, detailed in a leaked draft based on a September 17, 2026, announcement, would replace fragmented national laws with a directly applicable EU-wide instrument.
Sophisticated counsel should note the regulation's broad scope, affecting social media, app stores, online games, and AI chatbots, regardless of their location. Key provisions include mandatory, certified age verification and a "safety by design" obligation for all users under 18, which reverses the traditional burden of proof. The draft would prohibit "addictive design" features like infinite scrolling and autoplay, and it would impose strict, tiered access rules: a near-total ban for children under 13 and parent-managed accounts for those aged 13-15. Potential fines for non-compliance could reach 6% of global annual turnover.
The formal proposal will now enter the EU legislative process, with adoption considered unlikely before 2028. Counsel for affected online services should monitor debates on the final age thresholds and scope, and begin assessing the significant technical and compliance challenges posed by the proposed requirements.