EU child safety panel prepares recommendations on online risks
An EU expert panel has completed its work on children’s online safety and will present recommendations to the European Commission in July.
The European Union’s Special Panel on Child Safety Online has held its final meeting, completing a review of measures that could strengthen protections for minors using digital services.
The panel brought together educators, legal specialists, healthcare professionals, and child rights advocates. Its work examined children’s use of digital devices at home and in school, as well as ways to support parents and guardians.
A new Eurobarometer survey presented alongside the process found that adolescents in Europe spend an average of 4.5 hours online on school days and 6.1 hours at weekends. Fourteen percent reported spending more than 10 hours per day online.
Nearly one in three young people reported feeling stressed, sad, or excluded due to social media use. Respondents also reported exposure to harmful material, including hate speech.
The panel’s work forms part of a wider EU response to risks affecting children online. Existing measures include obligations for platforms under the Digital Services Act and work on age-verification tools intended to prevent children from accessing unsuitable services or content.
The co-chairs will present the panel’s findings and recommendations to the European Commission in July 2026.
