European Lawmakers Press EC to Up Game in Online Child Protection
The EU must protect kids online better than it does now, the European Parliament said in an own-initiative resolution approved Wednesday. Among other things, lawmakers said, the EU should prevent children from accessing social media before the age of 16 (13 if they have parental consent), and require better age-assurance mechanisms.
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The non-legislative resolution, which passed 483-92, intends to send a political signal to the European Commission that it should do more than it's doing on online child protection, Danish European Parliament Member Christel Schaldemose, of the Socialists & Democrats Group, said at a Wednesday briefing.
Among other things, the resolution asks the EC to ensure availability of age-assurance mechanisms that are privacy-preserving, robust and accurate, Schaldemose said. Social media services must stop harmful design practices and there must be a level playing field among platforms, social media services and other services, she said.
It's also important to ensure existing laws, such as the Digital Services Act, are better enforced and extend to other services, including online video platforms, she added.
Asked whether the EC is likely to act on the resolution, given U.S. pressure on EU digital laws, Schaldemose said that despite Europe's wish to simplify laws, when it comes to kids, she senses there's a willingness to do more to protect children.