European Policy, Free Expression
CDT Europe Calls on European Commission to Uphold Children’s Fundamental Rights
Online services are a critical venue for young people to exercise their fundamental rights to access information and express themselves freely. Through these services, young people gain access to online communities and peer support, find supplemental educational resources, boost their literacy and digital skills, and find help when dealing with difficult mental or physical health circumstances.
CDT recently submitted comments to the European Commission arguing that efforts to protect young people online must balance their rights to access essential information and do so privately against actions necessary to safeguard them from potential harm. Article 28 of the Digital Services Act (DSA) provides an opportunity to establish robust guidelines prioritizing young people’s well-being. As stated in Article 13 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Article 24 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, young people have the right to access information necessary for their development. This is reinforced by the Louvain-la-Neuve Declaration of 12 April 2024, which highlights the need for secure and empowering online spaces for youth.
Approaches to protecting young people online should consider the risk profile of a platform and offer choices to young users to equip them with the tools required to control their own experience.
