Children under 15 could face sweeping new restrictions on social media, AI chatbots, video-sharing platforms and online gaming under plans being prepared by the European Union.The European Commission is expected to unveil its proposed EU Kids Act on Thursday, introducing a tiered system governing how children of different ages can access online services. The proposals remain in draft form and could still change.Under the current proposal, teenagers aged 15 and over would be able to create their own accounts, while 13 and 14-year-olds would be restricted to introductory accounts set up under parental control, potentially including limits on contacts and time spent online.Children aged between three and 12 would only be able to access child-friendly services under parental supervision, while children under three would be excluded from the covered services entirely.But the plans go considerably further than simply setting age limits.Tech companies would be expected to verify users’ ages and make services safer by design, including restrictions on features intended to keep young people continuously engaged. The draft targets features such as infinite scrolling and artificial notifications, while also seeking to prevent recommendation algorithms from pushing minors down harmful content “rabbit holes”.Stronger parental controls, private settings and easier ways for children to report harmful content are also among the measures being considered.Online gaming would also be affected, with age verification expected to be required before game downloads, while covered companies could be required to pay a supervisory fee to help fund enforcement of the new rules.The proposed rules would cover some of the world’s biggest digital services, including social media and video platforms as well as AI chatbots and companions.However, none of the measures are law yet. Once formally proposed, the EU Kids Act would have to go through negotiations involving EU member states and the European Parliament before it could take effect.What do you make of these restrictions?•