The European Union has declared a digital curfew, banning social media for children under 13. President Ursula von der Leyen, in a bid to shield kids from the ‘capture’ of their minds by tech giants, outlined a phased approach: a total ban for under-13s, restricted accounts for 13 to 15-year-olds, with limited access supervised by parents.

This comes as part of the EU Kids Act, set to be unveiled fully on Thursday. While other countries like France are already moving in this direction, the EU’s approach is more nuanced, with daily usage limits and safety obligations for platforms.

However, the measures raise concerns about privacy and enforcement. Parental monitoring could be intrusive, and age checks must be accurate without compromising user experience or privacy rights.

Von der Leyen also hinted at broader tech concerns, including initiatives to ensure AI benefits society and workers, and the upcoming Quality Jobs Act, which aims to harness AI for job improvement.