MEPs are calling for ambitious EU measures to protect minors online, including a minimum age of 16 for access to social networks, video-sharing platforms and AI trackers. Access to children between the ages of 13 and 16 would only be possible with parental consent.
In the report, which was adopted by 483 votes to 92 with 86 abstentions, Parliament expresses deep concern about the physical and mental health risks minors face online. In particular, they warn against manipulative strategies that increase addiction and negatively affect children’s ability to concentrate and use digital content in a healthy way.
Parliament calls for a ban on the most harmful addictive practices (infinite scrolling), a stronger enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA), with the possibility of personal liability for managers in case of serious violations, a ban on engagement-based recommendation algorithms for minors, protection from commercial exploitation, urgent measures against generative AI tools such as deepfake content, social chatbots and apps that create manipulated images without consent.
Reporter Christel Schaldemose pointed out that the Parliament drew a clear line and told the platforms that their services are not designed for children.
(Vijesti.ba/Fena)
