The EU Kids Act Is Designed to Protect Minors, but It Could Bring Age

As internet access has gone from a rarity to a common practice and an ever-present part of our daily lives, the impact it has had on children has remained a major concern, with worries about how to keep children safe while still allowing them to take advantage of all the benefits that also come with living in the information age. 

While it’s generally accepted that some level of regulation can be helpful in keeping children safe, legislative efforts often receive pushback for knock-on effects, and questions arise over whether the proposed safeguards will work to protect children or simply make the overall functionality of the internet worse for minimal positive impact. The latest move to change how things work online in Europe is the EU Kids Act proposed by the European Commission, which would require age verification to access certain types of online media.

The Act Could Mean You Need To Prove Your Age To Play in the Future

The Act would put in place a tiered system in which children 12 and under can only have accounts created and managed by their guardians; children 13- or 14-year-olds are allowed restricted access with additional parental controls and time limits; and children 15 and older are allowed full access. The restrictions would apply to a range of platforms deemed potentially risky, including AI chatbots, social media, and online gaming.

The last bit will be particularly noteworthy to gamers in Europe who play games that find themselves included under the ban, a distinction which will be determined based on the content within the games.

If it passes, gamers who want to play a restricted game will have to undergo age verification to prove their identity and that they are of legal age to access the game without restriction. This will no doubt prove controversial among the gaming community, with gamers wary of submitting identification, left to choose between what they believe is the best way to protect their identity and online safety and their ability to access the games they have bought and paid for.