- The European Commission presents new guidelines for the protection of minors online.
- A prototype app will allow users to verify their ages privately and securely.
- Five EU countries, including Spain and France, will pilot the verification system.
- The measures aim to curb risks such as harmful content, cyberbullying, and addictive design on digital platforms.
The safety of minors in the digital environment has become a priority for the European institutions. In this context, The European Commission has announced new steps to strengthen child protection online., with a double initiative: the publication of Guidelines for digital platforms and the development of a prototype application for online age verification.
Both proposals respond to the growing concern about the exposure of young people to harmful content and risks on the Internet, and They aim to facilitate safer access to the educational and social opportunities offered by the digital space, minimizing threats such as cyberbullying, addictive design, or unwanted contact.
Guidelines for the digital protection of minors in Europe
The new guidelines, developed after a consultation process with experts and young people, establish that Digital platforms must take proactive measures to protect the privacy, safety, and well-being of minors. These recommendations not only take into account the type of service or the purpose of the platform, but also They insist that actions be proportional and respectful of the rights of minors.
Key aspects addressed in these guidelines include:
- Reducing addictive design: It is advisable to limit or disable features such as activity streaks or reading notifications, which can encourage excessive and addictive behavior in minors.
- Cyberbullying Prevention: It is proposed that minors have the option to block or mute users, and it is recommended that downloading and screenshotting content posted by minors be prevented, thus preventing the unwanted distribution of sensitive material.
- Control over harmful content: It is suggested that young people can indicate what type of content they do not wish to see, forcing platforms to not recommend that material to them in the future.
- Privacy by default: Minors' accounts should be private from the start, making it difficult for unauthorized strangers to contact them.
The guidelines adopt a risk-based approach, recognizing the diversity of digital services and ensuring that platforms implement the most appropriate measures for their specific case without unjustifiably restricting minors' digital experience.
European prototype for age verification
The second big novelty is the prototype application for age verification, presented within the framework of the Digital Services Regulation. This technical tool aims to become a European standard and make it easier for Users can prove that they meet the minimum age to access certain content without revealing additional personal information. and ensuring privacy.
According to the European Commission, the system will allow, for example, a user to certify that they are over 18 years old to enter restricted areas, but their exact age or identity will not be stored or shared with anyone. Thus, Control over private data always remains in the hands of the user. y No one will be able to trace or reconstruct your activities online.
This application will be tested in a pilot phase in Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Denmark, the first countries to adopt the solution. The goal is for each Member State to be able to customize the prototype to fit its national regulations, as is already the case, for example, with the minimum age for social media, which varies across countries. Verification methods must be accurate, reliable and non-discriminatory, with special attention to ensuring that the process is not intrusive to the user, nor does it pose risks to their privacy or security.
A coordinated plan and institutional support
The launch of these initiatives is part of a broader plan for child protection in the European digital environment. In addition to the guidelines and implementation, the European Union is working on the future integration of this system with the upcoming digital identity (eID) wallets, planned for 2026. This ensures that the age verification functionality will be compatible with other official digital ID tools.
The European authorities have shown unanimous support for the implementation of this technical and regulatory solutionHenna Virkkunen, Vice-President of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, stated that “ensuring the safety of children and young people online is crucial for the Commission. Platforms can no longer justify practices that put minors at risk.” Caroline Stage Olsen, Denmark's Digital Minister, underscored the priority of safeguarding digital childhood and the country's desire to establish a minimum age for accessing social media and seek a European consensus on the matter.
The development process for these policies has included expert participation, stakeholder workshops, and public consultations, underscoring the consensus among governments, institutions, and European citizens themselves to strengthen regulation and protection in the digital sphere. These actions They reinforce the European Union's commitment to creating a safer and more balanced internet for children and adolescents., enabling them to take advantage of the educational and social potential of the digital environment, always under safer conditions and adapted to their needs and vulnerabilities.
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