GoKawiilEU proposes Kids Act banning chatbots from simulating emotions with minors
The European Commission has proposed the EU Kids Act, which would prohibit chatbots from mimicking emotions or personal relationships when interacting with users under 18. The draft law also bars children under 13 from using chatbots without parental supervision, prevents chatbots from retaining memory across separate conversations, and stops platforms from auto-activating or prominently placing AI companions in minors' contact lists. Companies that fail to build in these child-safety protections could face fines up to 6% of their global turnover.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The proposal reflects growing regulatory concern that AI companions can foster unhealthy emotional attachment and data accumulation in young users, following incidents like Snapchat pinning chatbots to minors' contact lists. Critics like European Digital Rights argue the protections should extend beyond minors, since manipulative or memory-retaining chatbot designs could harm adults too, setting up a broader debate ahead of the EU's forthcoming Digital Fairness Act.
- EU Kids Act would ban chatbots from simulating emotional or relationship dynamics with under-18 users.
- Under-13s would need guardian supervision to access chatbots, and platforms face fines up to 6% of global turnover for noncompliance.
- Chatbots could not retain cross-conversation memory or be auto-promoted to minors, addressing concerns raised by Snapchat's practices.
Source: wired.com — Isabella Ward, 2026-09-17
Published there as: “The EU Wants to Break Up Kids and Their Chatbots”
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