Netherlands launches strategy to strengthen children’s rights online

The Netherlands is bringing several strands of its digital policy for children under a single strategy, with the government linking platform safety, age restrictions, education and children’s participation in policymaking.

The strategy, published on 5 October 2026, gives particular attention to the age at which children should independently access social media. The Netherlands and Spain are advocating an EU-wide minimum age, combined with privacy-friendly age assurance and fewer national exceptions. The Dutch government is also supporting requirements for platforms to demonstrate that their services are safe for children.

Rather than focusing only on access restrictions, the strategy also examines the design and operation of individual digital services. The government is conducting Children’s Rights Impact Assessments of major platforms and online services, including YouTube, Roblox, Fortnite, ChatGPT, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok. The assessments are intended to examine their effects on children’s wellbeing.

The Dutch approach extends beyond platforms. From January 2027, the government wants existing restrictions on mobile-phone use to apply across all schools through the ‘At Home or in the Locker’ arrangement. It is also continuing measures aimed at helping parents make decisions about children’s use of smartphones and screens.

At EU level, the strategy connects these national measures with the proposed EU KIDS Act, which the Netherlands is preparing to respond to formally. The government’s position on a minimum social media age of 15 corresponds with the threshold proposed under the Act for independent accounts.

The strategy therefore combines regulation of digital services with measures in schools and support for families. It also places greater emphasis on assessing digital services from the perspective of children’s rights, rather than treating online safety solely as a question of age or access.