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Special panel on child safety online

"This report comes during a unique window of opportunity. We have heard from parents, educators, experts, and young people themselves. We have heard the experience from partners as well as our Member States. Now we need action at European level." 

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

Special panel report

As announced in the 2025 State of the Union address, President von der Leyen set up a special panel of experts to develop a strong and practical European approach to keep children safe online. 

The panel's co-chairs presented their final report in July 2026. The report highlights the critical challenges children face online and provides recommendations and inspiration on better protecting and empower them, as well as on the age-appropriate use of social media and other digital services. 

The panel also prepared a series of tips for parents and young people to navigate the digital world safely and confidently. 

Turning recommendations into reality

Building on the work of the panel, the Commission has proposed the EU KIDS Act to help build a safer internet for children.

Read the proposal
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen present the EU Kids Act

Background

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.

From March to June 2026, the panel met three times to explore both the opportunities and the risks of children spending time online. Discussions looked at how to better support parents and caregivers, while highlighting key lessons and good practices from across the EU and beyond.

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. 

President von der Leyen receiving the special panel report on child safety online, pictured with co-chairs of panel
President von der Leyen receives the report on children’s safety online from the co-chairs of the special panel Prof. Dr. Jörg M. Fegert and Dr. Maria Melchior

What the panel worked 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 use of online platforms
    • risks and benefits of children's use of social media, gaming, messaging apps and AI tools
    • effects on their health and wellbeing at different ages 
  • Responsibility of online platforms
    • responsibility of tech companies in protecting children
    • ways to strengthen existing safety measures

Panel members 

Co-chairs

Portrait of Dr Maria Melchior
Dr. Maria Melchior

Director at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research

Portrait of Dr. Jörg M. Fegert
Prof. Dr. Jörg M. Fegert

Director 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 Youth

  • Urs Buscke, Senior Legal Officer, European Consumer Organisation (BEUC)

  • Alex Cooney, CEO & Co-founder, CyberSafeKids

  • María del Mar España Martí, Director Plataforma Control Z, Former Director of the Spanish Data Protection Agency (DPA)

  • Marina Fernández, President, Adolescencia lliure de movils

  • Louise Flynn, Assistant Professor in Teacher Education, Trinity College Dublin – School of Education

  • Catalina Goanta, Associate Professor in Private Law and Technology, Utrecht University (NL) 

  • Rasmus Kjedahl, Director, Børns Vilkår

  • Petra Kogelnig, Secretary-General, European Parents’ Association  

  • Marta Lamarosa Gonçalves, Better Internet for Kids (BIK)+ Youth Ambassador

  • Giovanna Mascheroni, Professor, Department of Communication, Catholic University Milan 

  • Helen Mason, Executive Director, Child Helpline International  

  • Servane Mouton, Medical Doctor, Neurologist and Neuropsychologist

  • María Soledad Pera, Associate Professor, Web Information Systems group of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science TU Delft

  • Tanja Petelin, Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Université de Poitiers

  • Jessica Piotrowski, Professor, Amsterdam School of Communication, University of Amsterdam

  • Declan Qualter, Practice Placement Supervisor and PhD candidate, School of Education, University College Dublin

  • Judith 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 Oslo

  • Sophie Stalla-Bourdillon, Research Leader, Law, Science, Technology & Society Research Group, VUB

  • Argyris 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 Slovakia

  • Mieke 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 Education
  • Lies Craeynest, Founder, KidsUnplugged
  • Jutta Croll, Chairwoman of the Board of Stiftung Digitale Chancen
  • Alberto Monge Roffarello, Assistant Professor, Politecnico di Torino
  • Kai Rannenberg, Chair of Mobile Business and Multilateral Security, Goethe University Frankfurt
  • Christoph Pieh, Head of Department, University for Continuing Education Krems
  • Urs Buscke, Senior Legal Officer, European Consumer Organisation (BEUC)
  • Théo Mouhoud, Child Psychiatrist, Hopitaux de Paris
  • Eva Möhler, Chair and Clinical Doctor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  • Kerstin Paschke, Medical Specialist in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
  • Petra Kogelnig, Secretary-General, European Parents’ Association
  • Laura Vandenbosch, Associate professor and Director of the Media Psychology Lab, KU Leuven
  • Sørine  Vesth Rasmussen, Advisor on children’s rights and tech policy, Børns Vilkår
  • Marta  Lamarosa Gonçalves, Better Internet for Kids (BIK)+ Youth Ambassador
  • Dimitris Tsalavos, BIK Youth Ambassador
  • Anna Schwabegger, Chair of the Austrian National Youth Council
  • Aisling  Maloney, PYAB and National Youth Council of Ireland
  • Maya Katkovska,Head, Latvian Safer Internet Centre
  • Konstantinos Karachalios, Advisor to the Executive Director, IEEE and Board Member, 5Rights Foundation
  • Mie Oehlenschlager, Independent researcher and advisor (DK)
  • Ana Caballero, Chair, Expert Group to improve the protection of minors in the digital realm
  • Lisa Thorell, Professor, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet
  • Servane 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 Agency
  • Giovanna Mascheroni, Professor, Department of Communication, Catholic University Milan
  • Beckett LeClair, Head of Technology, 5Rights Foundation
  • Ayata, 15-year-old representative of the EU Children's Participation Platform
  • Zuzanna, 17-year-old representative of the EU Children's Participation Platform

Documents

Special panel report: "Child Safety Online: Protecting and Empowering Minors in a Digital world"
  • General publications
  • 13 July 2026
"Child Safety Online: Protecting and Empowering Minors in a Digital world" summary
  • General publications
  • 13 July 2026
A guide for kids and teens on the report on child safety online: Protecting and empowering minors in a digital world
  • General publications
  • 16 September 2026

Related links

This page was last updated on 13 July 2026