"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 About the panel 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, the panel has brought together young people and experts from across the EU, including in health, neuroscience, psychology, computer science, child rights, and digital literacy.The panel discussions have been 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 – have been a key part of this work. The special panel on child safety onlinePresident's Youth Advisory boardCitizens' panels What the panel works on Online safety of childrenthe best EU-wide approach to keeping children safe onlinea common EU age limit for social media with protections adapted to age and riskeducation to encourage safe and responsible use of social media Children's use of online platformsrisks and benefits of children's use of social media, gaming, messaging apps and AI toolseffects on their health and wellbeing at different ages Responsibility of online platformsresponsibility of tech companies in protecting childrenways to strengthen existing safety measures Progress of the panel 13 July 2026The panel will hand over its report to President von der Leyen. The Commission will then consider the recommendations and determine next steps.16 June 2026At its third and final meeting, the panel reflected on key lessons learned and best practices from the EU and partner countries. The discussion highlighted how important it is to support parents and caretakers to keep children safe online.16 April 2026At its second meeting, the panel discussed EU rules to protect minors and looked at approaches in other countries, such as Australia's minimum age for social media. 5 March 2026The panel met for the first time to review the risks and benefits of children’s online use. They also discussed current approaches to online safety in the EU and beyond. 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 Participants in the third meeting Louise Heeran Flynn, Assistant Professor in Teacher Education, Trinity College Dublin – School of EducationLies Craeynest, Founder, KidsUnpluggedJutta Croll, Chairwoman of the Board of Stiftung Digitale ChancenAlberto Monge Roffarello, Assistant Professor, Politecnico di TorinoKai Rannenberg, Chair of Mobile Business and Multilateral Security, Goethe University FrankfurtChristoph Pieh, Head of Department, University for Continuing Education KremsUrs Buscke, Senior Legal Officer, European Consumer Organisation (BEUC)Théo Mouhoud, Child Psychiatrist, Hopitaux de ParisEva Möhler, Chair and Clinical Doctor of Child and Adolescent PsychiatryKerstin Paschke, Medical Specialist in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and PsychotherapyPetra Kogelnig, Secretary-General, European Parents’ AssociationLaura Vandenbosch, Associate professor and Director of the Media Psychology Lab, KU LeuvenSørine Vesth Rasmussen, Advisor on children’s rights and tech policy, Børns VilkårMarta Lamarosa Gonçalves, Better Internet for Kids (BIK)+ Youth AmbassadorDimitris Tsalavos, BIK Youth AmbassadorAnna Schwabegger, Chair of the Austrian National Youth CouncilAisling Maloney, PYAB and National Youth Council of IrelandMaya Katkovska,Head, Latvian Safer Internet CentreKonstantinos Karachalios, Advisor to the Executive Director, IEEE and Board Member, 5Rights FoundationMie Oehlenschlager, Independent researcher and advisor (DK)Ana Caballero, Chair, Expert Group to improve the protection of minors in the digital realmLisa Thorell, Professor, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska InstitutetServane Mouton, Medical doctor, neurologist and neuropsychologist Owen Bennett, Independent expert in the regulation of digital technologies (UK)Lucas Borges, Superintendent of Regulation, Brazilian Data Protection AgencyGiovanna Mascheroni, Professor, Department of Communication, Catholic University MilanBeckett LeClair, Head of Technology, 5Rights Foundation Latest newsFinal meeting of the Special Panel on child safety online 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 16 June 2026
Prof. Dr. Jörg M. FegertDirector of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy at Ulm University Medical Centre
