The European Parliament has adopted its own-initiative report on the protection of minors online, addressing the need to safeguard the youngest and most vulnerable members of society from the mounting risks of the digital age. The EBU commends the European Parliament’s direction and commitment to protecting minors from harm while ensuring their access to a safe, enriching, and trustworthy online experience.

As digital devices, online platforms, social networks, AI assistants, and chatbots increasingly shape the daily lives of minors, the European Parliament calls for urgent action to combat addictive behaviours, growing exposure to harmful content like disinformation, and mental health challenges such as heightened anxiety and depression.

“The European Parliament rightfully points out that protecting children online requires not only strong regulations and their enforcement to prevent harm – it demands a holistic approach that puts empowerment and education in the mix. Minors must be equipped with the right skills to safely navigate the internet, while access to enriching, regulated and age-appropriate content, like that provided by public service media, must be guaranteed”, commented Thomas Bergmann, Senior EU Policy Advisor for the EBU.

Key takeaways from the European Parliament’s report: 

• Public service media foster safe digital spaces for minors: Through child-focused programming, media literacy materials, and tailored apps, Public Service Media ensure minors have access to safe, enriching content. Policymakers must now prioritise measures that promote the prominence of general interest media services to ensure regulated and child-friendly content remains accessible and easily findable on all relevant gateways.

• Combatting celebrity scams and AI-driven disinformation: Content that promotes disinformation, unsafe products and fraudulent services, through AI-powered impersonation of celebrities and media brands, poses direct threats to minors and other vulnerable groups. We welcome the clear call from the Parliament that the European Commission should classify such content as systemic risks under DSA, necessitating targeted strategies for efficient removal by the platforms.

• Media and digital literacy are key: It is nearly impossible to protect vulnerable groups from all possible harms stemming from the online environment. That is why more efforts are needed to empower minors to navigate the Internet safely and responsibly and to apply critical thinking.

• The protection of minors online goes beyond the DSA: While the DSA sets out obligations regarding the design and structural elements of online platforms, the AVMSD offers tangible content-specific standards to protect minors from illegal and certain types of harmful content. The report rightfully acknowledges this complementary nature of the two laws, which must result in their coherent implementation and enforcement.

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Tags: EBU, games, kids, social media