Let me start with some striking figures. They are from this year's Eurobarometer in July. 92% of Europeans say we should strengthen the protection of children and young people online. Around 70% are concerned about cyberbullying, harassment and grooming. And there is another striking fact: Young people in Europe spend on average 4 to 6 hours a day on screens. For those who started using social media before the age of 10 it is even more. They spend around 7 to 8 hours online, every day. This is almost a full working day for an adult. Too many children are being exposed too early to an online world they are not ready to navigate. An environment where bullying can follow you home. Where every mistake can be recorded forever. And childhood and puberty is about making mistakes, learning from these mistakes and improving. Children can be targeted by scams and predators. Today, our children are engaging with some of the most sophisticated technology ever created. And it was not created with children's wellbeing and development in mind. Platforms are designed to capture attention. Algorithms learn from our behaviour. They exploit it to make us click, react and keep scrolling. And too often these addictive features are a business plan. The goal is to keep the children online and monetise their attention.
Today there is a robust body of evidence on the harm that social media does to a developing brain and personality. And too well parents see the effects of this. We all know the consequences: sleep deprivation, depression, anxiety, self-harm, addictive behaviour, and – tragically – suicide. Parents cannot compete or keep up against algorithms – and they should not have to.
Therefore, I convened a Special Panel of experts. We spoke to young people. We looked at Australia and others who have moved ahead. We have listened to Member States. And now it is time for the European Union to act. This is why the EU KIDS Act, which is approved today by the College, will set clear boundaries in the digital world – just as we do it on a daily basis in the real world. We are taking a gradual and differentiated approach. Each age has its own sensitivities. And therefore, each will have its own tailored protection level. So in sum: no social media under the age of 13; no personal account under the age of 15. That means, from 13 until a child turns 15, only mini accounts set up and supervised by parents or guardians, with limited features and time restriction to one hour a day, maximum. And between 15 and 18, safe design will be an obligation for the platforms.
To be very clear, an age limit does not mean letting tech companies off the hook, for the content on their platforms. Platforms have been playing fast and loose with our children's mental health. We are now reversing the burden of proof. Now they have to prove to us that they are safe. Therefore, for every person under 18, the platforms must follow the principle of safety by design. No toxic or addictive features, no traps, etcetera. Age will be verified using EU-certified tools like our Age Verification App. This is built on 'zero-knowledge proof.' It means that the platform only learns one single thing – whether you are old enough to allow access or not. For years, platforms have denied the harm they created. They have tried to avoid prescriptive rules and set rules at their own pace. We are changing that with the KIDS Act. So instead of authorities proving harm after the fact, the biggest platforms must submit detailed child safety plans in advance. This means again that safety will come first. This puts parents in the driving seat. And the burden of proving safety on the platforms, where it belongs.
Today we are focusing on the KIDS Act which is an important step. This Act sets a clear framework, backed by society and by law. But to conclude, I also want to add two more remarks that are important. First, I want to emphasise how important it is to educate parents, teachers and children on the risks and benefits of the digital world. And the importance of digital literacy for our children is huge as they grow up. And my second remark: Of course, not only the minors are at risk. I was speaking about addictive designs. For example, they are harming everyone, whether they are minors or grown-ups. This is why we need a wider framework to the Digital Fairness Act. We will propose it in autumn. And today, the focus is on the KIDS Act.
