The European Commission has published a call for submissions to collect opinions about guidelines for protecting minors onlinewhich, once approved, will include guidance on how to apply online platforms high levels of privacy, security and protection for minors onlineas requested by digital services act.
The Commission seeks the views of interested parties on the proposed scope and approach of the guidelines, as well as on best practices and recommendations to mitigate the risks that minors may encounter online. The Commission invites all interested parties to participate in the call for submissions, including the submission of scientific reports and the support of research projects.
Online platforms should ensure that the rights and best interests of children are at the heart of their service design. Platforms should adopt a risk-based approach, carry out regular impact assessments and implement measures to mitigate all potential risks for minors arising from their services. Discussions between the Commission and Member States on a harmonized approach to age verification will also be considered in the guidelines.
With the exception of micro and small businesses, the guidelines for the protection of minors apply to all online platforms accessible to minors, including those that are not intended for minors but still have minor users, for example due to insufficient age verification mechanisms. .
The call for submissions remains open until 30 September 2024. The Commission will use the views of stakeholders to develop the guidelines, while conducting a separate consultation on the draft guidelines, which are expected to be adopted before the summer of 2025.