EU child safety panel concludes work on online protections for minors
New data on rising adolescent screen time has triggered discussions, with many reporting stress, sadness and exposure to harmful online content linked to social media.
The European Union’s Special Panel on child safety online has concluded its final meeting, marking a key step towards developing new recommendations to strengthen protections for minors in the digital environment. Co-chairs are set to present their findings to the European Commission in July.
A newly published Eurobarometer survey highlights growing concerns about young people’s digital habits and online well-being. The survey found that adolescents across Europe spend an average of 4.5 hours online on school days and 6.1 hours at weekends, with 14% reporting more than 10 hours of screen time per day.
The findings also show a strong link between social media use and well-being. Nearly one in three young people reported feeling stressed, sad or excluded, while many also reported exposure to harmful content, including hate speech. EU officials, including Ursula von der Leyen, have stressed the urgency of strengthening online protections for children.
The final panel meeting brought together educators, legal experts, healthcare professionals, and child rights advocates to review best practices and discuss measures to support parents and guardians. Broader EU initiatives, including the Digital Services Act (DSA) and age-verification tools, also form part of the bloc’s wider regulatory response to online risks facing children.
Why does it matter?
The findings underline a growing public health and policy challenge as children’s digital engagement becomes deeply embedded in daily life, while evidence increasingly links high screen time and social media exposure to emotional distress and reduced well-being.
For the EU, the issue goes beyond individual behaviour, pointing to structural questions around platform accountability, age-appropriate design, and the effectiveness of existing safeguards.
The panel’s recommendations are therefore likely to influence the next phase of EU digital regulation, shaping how online services balance innovation with stronger protections for minors across member states.
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