Child protection · Artificial intelligence
The AI listening to your child: who sets the limits?
Protection is not just an access age. It also concerns the relationship an interface seeks to establish.
Case statusSources consulted on 13 October 2026; proposals and timetables may change.
01
KIDS Act: a proposal to follow
The Commission describes the KIDS Act as a proposed regulation protecting minors online, not a ban already applicable to French families. It includes AI companions and conversational chatbots accessible to minors. [1]
Its explanation addresses interfaces simulating human relationships likely to create emotional dependency, alongside safeguards for conversation memory and activation of embedded chatbots. These are proposed measures: their wording and timetable must still be followed through the legislative process. [1]
02
Existing guidance, with a scope that matters
The July 2025 guidance on minors using online platforms addresses protective defaults, features encouraging excessive use and safeguards around integrated chatbots. It belongs to the DSA framework. [2]
These recommendations are non-binding and following them does not automatically guarantee compliance. Their scope must not be extended to every standalone chatbot without assessment. Protecting children also does not justify unlimited collection of their identity and confidences. [2,3]
03
Examine the experience, not only the terms
- Does the service clearly identify itself as a machine? Does it explain what is retained between sessions? Can notifications be stopped, the companion disabled and a troubling exchange reported?
- Schools, associations and publishers should test explanations accessible to young users and the route to an adult before recommending a tool. A marketing promise alone does not describe how a service behaves.
- Preserve an opportunity for human dialogue without demanding complete surveillance of confidences. These practical checks are neither a safety certification nor a medical diagnosis.
Before sharing, take time to choose.
A child can ask a question without sharing their whole life.
Explanatory diagram: no live parliamentary tracking, security measurement or individual legal conclusion.Technology for young people should help them grow, not make leaving harder.
