The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has called for a stronger protection framework for children and young people online, urging the European Union and digital platforms to adopt a “safety-by-design” approach and reinforce the role of local and regional authorities in media literacy and prevention policies.
During the CoR plenary debate on the opinion “The Protection of Youth and Minors in the Digital Sphere”, members stressed that the digital environment remains insufficiently safe for minors and that responsibility for ensuring protection should not fall primarily on children and families themselves, but on platforms, regulators and public authorities.
The opinion advocates for mandatory child-rights impact assessments, stricter accountability for digital platforms and greater support for local and regional authorities, which are often at the frontline of prevention, education and support services.
Martine Mousserion, Municipal Councillor of Anché (France), highlighted the importance of local initiatives aimed at protecting vulnerable users online. “In my community, parental control devices are used to protect young internet users. We have also set up a hub to provide support, advice and education to the most vulnerable,” she said. She also underlined that municipalities play an essential role in accompanying families and raising awareness about online risks.
Igor Andrović, Prefect of the Virovitica-Podravina County (Croatia), stressed that digital protection policies must reach all territories equally, including rural communities. “Protection of children on the internet must be implemented on a local and regional level, in our schools and local communities. Children in rural areas require the same protection as in cities, so the LRAs must be recognised as true partners on this matter,” he said. He further emphasised that local and regional authorities are indispensable actors in delivering prevention and digital literacy programmes.
Jesús Ángel Garrido Martínez, Director General for Funds and Relations with the European Union of the Government of La Rioja (Spain), warned about the growing impact of digital addictions on young people. “Being young today increasingly means belonging to a risk group when it comes to addictions linked to new technologies. In La Rioja, we are addressing this reality by developing dedicated support services for adolescents and families,” he said. He also referred to the need for tailored support structures and early intervention mechanisms to help young people navigate the digital environment safely.
The Committee’s opinion calls for a comprehensive European strategy that combines regulation, education and public support systems, while ensuring that local and regional authorities are fully involved in the implementation of child protection policies in the digital sphere.