Multi-Stakeholder Workshop Held for DSA Guidelines on Protecting Minors
On 4 October, the Commission organized a multi-stakeholder workshop to gather input for guidelines on protecting minors under the Digital Services Act (DSA). This event aimed to help online platform providers ensure high levels of privacy, safety, and security for minors. Approximately 140 participants attended, representing various sectors, including Digital Services Coordinators, national authorities, civil society organizations, large and small online platforms, industry associations, academics, Safer Internet Centres, and Better Internet for Kids Youth Ambassadors.
The workshop featured scenarios developed by BIK+ Youth Ambassadors and representatives from the Marie Collins and Molly Rose Foundations, which support victims of child sexual abuse, self-harm, and suicide. These scenarios addressed issues such as access to age-inappropriate content, algorithms fostering addictive behavior, cyberbullying, sexual harassment, sextortion, the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and the promotion of self-harm and suicide content. Participants identified good practices and recommendations to mitigate online risks for minors while safeguarding their rights.
Discussions during the workshop covered child-friendly reporting mechanisms, parental controls, algorithmic and recommender system adaptations, the impact of AI-generated images, safety and privacy default settings, and content moderation. The input gathered will contribute to drafting guidelines under Article 28 of the DSA, with a public consultation planned for early next year and adoption expected in 2025.
The Commission’s commitment to protecting minors online is evident in the Better Internet for Kids strategy and the DSA. Additionally, the Commission plans to launch an EU-wide inquiry into the broader impacts of social media on young people’s well-being and an action plan to tackle cyberbullying.
Source: Commission gathers good practices to combat online harm for minors
