Protect our children. Also online The European Commission is working to make the online world safer for children, so they can explore, learn and connect with confidence. Safer digital spaces for childrenDigital technology can give children opportunities to learn, connect and grow. But they come with real risks. Despite existing protections, more needs to be done to counter risks including cyberbullying, exposure to adult content, self-harm promotion, and addictive algorithms. 1 in 6 children between 11-15 have been victims of cyberbullying 1.2 million children reported deepfake sexual image abuse in 2025*9 in 10 Europeans think urgent action is needed Special panel on child safety online To address this issue, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen has set up a special panel of experts to help develop a strong and practical European approach to keep children safe online.Announced in the 2025 State of the Union address, it brings together young people and experts from across the EU, including in health, neuroscience, psychology, computer science, child rights, and digital literacy.The panel discussions are based on the latest research and real-life experiences of children and families. Insights from young people and citizens – via initiatives such as the President’s Youth Advisory Board and Citizens’ Panels – are a key part of this work. The special panel on child safety onlinePresident's Youth Advisory boardCitizens' panels "For decades, we have made the real world safer for children and we must do the same in the digital world. The positive opportunities that technology offers cannot come at the cost of their safety, health or happiness." Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission What the panel works on Online safety of children- the best EU-wide approach to keeping children safe online- a common EU age limit for social media with protections adapted to age and risk- education to encourage safe and responsible use of social media Children's online useof social media, gaming, messaging apps and AI tools, and the effects on their health and wellbeing at different agesResponsibility of online platformsand how existing measures can be strengthened Panel members Co-chairs Dr. Maria MelchiorDirector at the French National Institute of Health and Medical ResearchProf. Dr. Jörg M. FegertDirector of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy at Ulm University Medical Centre Participants in the first meeting Kimmo Alho, Emeritus of psychology at University of Helsinki, specialised in cognitive neuroscience, brain mechanisms of attention and function in digital spaces Leanda Barrington-Leach, Executive Director, 5Rights Foundation Gabriele Battimelli, BIK+ ambassador Italy Elena Bozzola, paediatrician and Secretary and National Councillor of the Italian Society of Paediatrics (online participation) Matthias Brand, Head of Department of Psychology, Duisburg University Jutta Croll, Chairwoman of the Board of Stiftung Digitale Chancen Sigge Eriksson, National Council of Swedish Children and Youth Organisations, Sweden Jeff Hancock, Founding Director, Stanford Social Media Lab (online participation) Pavel Kordik, Associate Professor, Faculty of Information Technology CTU in Prague (online participation) Marta Lamarosa Gonçalves, Better Internet for Kids+ ambassador Portugal Sonia Livingstone, OBE, Professor of Social Psychology, Director of the Digital Future for Children Centre, London School of Economics Elvira Mentzelioti, Hellenic National Youth Council, Greece Servane Mouton, Medical doctor, neurologist and neuropsychologist James O’Higgins Norman, Professor of Education and society, Director of anti-bullying centre, UNESCO Chair on Bullying and Cyberbullying Maja Olszewska, BIK+ ambassador Poland Brian O’Neil, Emeritus Professor at Technological University Dublin Leo Pekkala, Digital literacy expert, Deputy Director of KAVI Soledad Pera, Associate Professor, Web Information Systems group of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science TU Delft Hanne-Mari Schiøtz Thorud, physiologist and Professor at the National Centre for Optics, Vision and Eye Care at the University of South-Eastern Norway Lore Sleeckx, Flemish Youth Council Piotr Toczyski, Researcher at SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities Antonia Torrens, President, COFACE – Families Europe Rareș Voicu, Senior policy and advocacy manager, European Youth Forum Alexandra Weilenmann, Professor of Interaction Design, Head of Human-Computer Interaction Unit at the Department of Applied Information Technology at University of Gothenburg Participants in the second meeting Mehdi Arfaoui, Sociologist, Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés (CNIL) & École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS)Leanda Barrington-Leach, Executive Director, 5Rights Foundation Tobiáš Bruno Galia, President’s Youth Advisory Board, Czech Council of Children and YouthUrs Buscke, Senior Legal Officer, European Consumer Organisation (BEUC)Alex Cooney, CEO & Co-founder, CyberSafeKidsMaría del Mar España Martí, Director Plataforma Control Z, Former Director of the Spanish Data Protection Agency (DPA)Marina Fernández, President, Adolescencia lliure de movilsLouise Flynn, Assistant Professor in Teacher Education, Trinity College Dublin – School of EducationCatalina Goanta, Associate Professor in Private Law and Technology, Utrecht University (NL) Rasmus Kjedahl, Director, Børns VilkårPetra Kogelnig, Secretary-General, European Parents’ Association Marta Lamarosa Gonçalves, Better Internet for Kids (BIK)+ Youth AmbassadorGiovanna Mascheroni, Professor, Department of Communication, Catholic University Milan Helen Mason, Executive Director, Child Helpline International Servane Mouton, Medical Doctor, Neurologist and NeuropsychologistMaría Soledad Pera, Associate Professor, Web Information Systems group of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science TU DelftTanja Petelin, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Université de PoitiersJessica Piotrowski, Professor, Amsterdam School of Communication, University of AmsterdamDeclan Qualter, Practice Placement Supervisor and PhD candidate, School of Education, University College DublinJudith Simon, Professor for Ethics in Information Technologies, University of Hamburg Petr Slovak, Associate Professor in Human Computer Interaction, King's college London Elisabeth Staksrud, Professor, Department of Media and Communication, University of OsloSophie Stalla-Bourdillon, Research Leader, Law, Science, Technology & Society Research Group, VUBArgyris Stringaris, Professor, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University College London Lisa Thorell, Professor, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet Martina Tóthová, President’s Youth Advisory Board; Youth Council of SlovakiaMieke Visser-Schuurman, Director of Child Rights & Capacity Building, Eurochild Niels Zagema, President’s Youth Advisory Board; Nationale Jeugdraad Progress of the panel 5 March 2026The panel met for the first time on 5 March 2026, to review the risks and benefits of children’s online use . They also discussed current approaches to online safety in the EU and beyond. 16 April 2026At its second meeting on 16 April 2026, the panel discussed EU rules to protect minors and looked at approaches in other countries, such as Australia's minimum age for social media. June 2026The panel will hold a third meeting in June. By summer 2026, the co-chairs will present their final findings and recommendations to the President. Real voices, real experiences online “Everything starts by writing to each other. Building trust. You feel a bit guilty because you know you cannot talk to strangers, let alone meet them. But it is too late. You are already caught in the vicious cycle.”Jennifer was 14 years old when she met a man online. She was manipulated and blackmailed into meeting with him, then he sexually abused her. “I felt disgusted every time he talked to me. I just wanted to go home but I didn’t know what he was capable of.”For two months, she lived in fear. What the EU is already doingThe EU is already very active in protecting children online. The special panel’s will build on this work and identify where more EU action is needed to better protect and support children and their parents online. Digital services actOnline platforms are required to keep children safe, protect their privacy, and help them use the internet securely, through the Digital services act and its guidelines on the protection of minors.Action plan against cyberbullyingOn Cyberbullying we aim to protect the mental health of children and teens online and support them with an EU-wide app where anyone affected by online bullying can easily get help.Audiovisual Media Services DirectiveVideo-sharing platforms are required to take steps to prevent children from seeing harmful content, enforced by the Audiovisual Media Services Directive.Artificial intelligence actSystems that trick or manipulate people, including children, in harmful ways are banned by the Artificial intelligence act, which also sets rules to clearly label deepfakes to avoid deception.European Age verification appThe European Age verification app – is a new tool that lets people prove their age when using online platforms, while keeping their personal data private.Safer internet centresSafer Internet Centres give advice and support children, parents, teachers and carers on digital issues and help them address online child sexual abuse. *Source: UNICEF, ECPAT and INTERPOL study Latest news Second meeting of Special Panel to advise President von der Leyen on child online safety Commission holds first meeting of Special Panel on child safety online This page was last updated on 22 April 2026
To address this issue, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen has set up a special panel of experts to help develop a strong and practical European approach to keep children safe online.Announced in the 2025 State of the Union address, it brings together young people and experts from across the EU, including in health, neuroscience, psychology, computer science, child rights, and digital literacy.The panel discussions are based on the latest research and real-life experiences of children and families. Insights from young people and citizens – via initiatives such as the President’s Youth Advisory Board and Citizens’ Panels – are a key part of this work.
Prof. Dr. Jörg M. FegertDirector of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy at Ulm University Medical Centre
“Everything starts by writing to each other. Building trust. You feel a bit guilty because you know you cannot talk to strangers, let alone meet them. But it is too late. You are already caught in the vicious cycle.”Jennifer was 14 years old when she met a man online. She was manipulated and blackmailed into meeting with him, then he sexually abused her. “I felt disgusted every time he talked to me. I just wanted to go home but I didn’t know what he was capable of.”For two months, she lived in fear.
Digital services actOnline platforms are required to keep children safe, protect their privacy, and help them use the internet securely, through the Digital services act and its guidelines on the protection of minors.
Action plan against cyberbullyingOn Cyberbullying we aim to protect the mental health of children and teens online and support them with an EU-wide app where anyone affected by online bullying can easily get help.
Audiovisual Media Services DirectiveVideo-sharing platforms are required to take steps to prevent children from seeing harmful content, enforced by the Audiovisual Media Services Directive.
Artificial intelligence actSystems that trick or manipulate people, including children, in harmful ways are banned by the Artificial intelligence act, which also sets rules to clearly label deepfakes to avoid deception.
European Age verification appThe European Age verification app – is a new tool that lets people prove their age when using online platforms, while keeping their personal data private.
Safer internet centresSafer Internet Centres give advice and support children, parents, teachers and carers on digital issues and help them address online child sexual abuse.
