US and EU Launch Major Social Media Age Restrictions

Legislators in the United States and the European Union are moving to restrict minors' access to social media through a series of new legislative efforts. In the U.S., Representatives Erin Houchin and Jake Auchincloss introduced the 16 & Up Social Media Act, a bipartisan bill that would establish a national minimum age of 16 for social media users. The act specifically targets platforms using engagement-driven designs like infinite scroll and personalized feeds, prohibiting them from allowing users under 16 to maintain accounts.

Simultaneously, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a package of 13 bills to protect children from social media and artificial intelligence. Assembly Bill 1709 prohibits the use of psychologically exploitative features for users under 16, while other measures mandate risk assessments for AI chatbots and expand child sexual exploitation laws to include AI-generated imagery. These actions follow a settlement in which Meta Platforms Incorporated agreed to pay up to $18 billion over allegations that its platforms harmed youth.

Across the Atlantic, the European Commission is introducing the EU KIDS Act. Led by President Ursula von der Leyen, the proposal would restrict social media access for those under 15 through a tiered system requiring parental supervision and mandating that platforms be safe by design. While proponents argue these measures end digital exploitation, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has criticized the California laws as a functional ban on social media for minors.