European Parliament Proposes EU-Wide Minimum Age of 16 for AI Chatbots and Social Media Access

European lawmakers seek EU-wide minimum age to access AI chatbots, social media

According to a statement published on the European Parliament's website, lawmakers are calling for a harmonised EU digital minimum age of 16 for access to social media, video-sharing platforms and AI companions, while allowing 13- to 16-year-olds access with parental consent. The European Parliament on Wednesday approved a non-binding resolution which calls for a default minimum age of 16 to access social media and AI chatbots to ensure "age-appropriate online engagement". Regulated under the block's Digital Services Act (DSA), online platforms are required to comply with national laws, which leave it up to each country to decide on minimum age requirements. According to a statement published on the European Parliament's website, lawmakers are calling for a harmonised EU digital minimum age of 16 for access to social media, video-sharing platforms and AI companions, while allowing 13- to 16-year-olds access with parental consent. According to a statement published on the European Parliament's website, lawmakers are calling for a harmonised EU digital minimum age of 16 for access to social media, video-sharing platforms and AI companions, while allowing 13- to 16-year-olds access with parental consent. They also called for a harmonised European digital age limit of 13, under which no minor could access social media platforms, video-sharing services and AI companions. The resolution carries no legal weight and serves as a political statement expressing Parliament's position on the issue. Any binding legislation would require formal proposals from the European Commission, followed by negotiations between EU member states and Parliament in a process that typically takes years to complete. It also proposes additional measures, including a ban on addictive design features that keep children hooked to screens and manipulative advertising and gambling-like elements. The draft also calls for the outright blocking of websites that don't follow EU rules and to address AI tools that can create fake or inappropriate content. Both Elon Musk's X and TikTok have faced formal investigations for breaching DSA rules in the past.

EU proposes 16-year minimum age for social media and AI platforms

The European Parliament is calling for stronger online protection for children, proposing an EU-wide minimum age of 16 for accessing social media, video-sharing platforms and AI companions, while allowing 13-16-year-olds to access these services only with parental consent. The proposal was adopted in a non-legislative report on Wednesday by 483 votes in favour, 92 against and 86 abstentions, citing increasing concerns about the physical and mental health risks minors face online. The report notes that manipulative platform design -- including features that promote prolonged scrolling and constant interaction -- can interfere with attention, behaviour and wellbeing. Parliament supports the development of an EU age verification app and the European Digital Identity (eID) wallet, with a requirement that these systems be accurate and privacy-preserving. MEPs underline that age verification does not reduce the responsibility of platforms to ensure services are safe and age-appropriate by design. To reinforce compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA), the report suggests that senior managers could be held personally liable in cases of serious and persistent non-compliance, particularly where minors' safety and age verification requirements are concerned. The European Parliament is asking the Commission to advance stricter protections for minors, including: According to the 2025 Eurobarometer, more than 90% of Europeans say stronger protection for children online is urgent -- especially in relation to social media's mental-health impact (93%), cyberbullying (92%) and the need to restrict access to age-inappropriate content (92%). EU member states are also introducing measures including age-verification systems, educational initiatives, smartphone restrictions in schools, cyberbullying rules, helplines and awareness campaigns as part of national responses to emerging risks. The EU's next phase of online safety for minors will prioritise stronger enforcement of existing rules, as children increasingly enter digital spaces at younger ages. Policymakers are monitoring the rapid growth of generative AI, which intensifies risks such as deepfakes, grooming and misinformation. Sharenting -- parents publicly sharing children's personal information -- is also emerging as a privacy concern. Additional developments expected across Europe Although the EU already has child-safety safeguards through the DSA, GDPR and audiovisual content rules, consistent enforcement remains difficult and requires more coordination, resources and reliable age assurance across platforms.