European Parliament resolution reaffirms commitment to children’s rights online
The European Parliament has adopted its Resolution on the Protection of Minors Online: a decisive commitment towards children’s rights online and a critical acknowledgment of the importance of robust enforcement.
Following the joint statement from 5Rights Foundation and other children’s rights organisations, the Resolution explicitly recognises the need for a harmonised approach that guarantees children’s rights online, and the enforcement of existing regulations. These commitments must be fully respected, as safeguards to children’s rights are currently at risk.
Thanks to 5Rights’ advocacy efforts, the Resolution explicitly refers to General comment No. 25 of the UNCRC and minors’ rights to be informed, participate civically and creatively, learn and express themselves online, without compromising on protection.
Prioritising enforcement of existing regulations
The Resolution recognises the urgent need to advance implementation and enforcement of existing regulations, including the Digital Services Act and its Guidelines on Protection of Minors, the AI Act and the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. It also integrates several key 5Rights demands regarding inadequate mitigation measures and risk assessments provided by Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs).
On AI Act enforcement, the Parliament stresses children’s specific vulnerabilities when faced with AI agents, chatbots and companions, the risks from AI-powered toys to children’s physical and mental health and the need to protect them from being misled and deceived by AI-generated content.The Resolution also states that protection of minors’ data is “of utmost importance”.
Having made these strong commitments, the European Parliament must now act coherently and ensure the safeguards of children’s rights in the future Digital Omnibus. The principles in this Resolution should not be diluted for simplification agendas.
“The European Parliament has made its commitment to children’s rights online, including their rights to safety and privacy regarding AI systems, very clear. Now, we expect them to act on it, especially in the Digital Omnibus. This simplification agenda cannot come at the expense of children”.
Manon Letouche, 5Rights Head of EU Affairs
Extending protections for children across all digital spaces
A tech-neutral framework catering to children’s evolving capacities will protect them as they grow – not just on social media but across the full spectrum of their lives online.
5Rights, therefore, welcomes the European Parliament’s call for “DSA equivalent obligations” in the upcoming Digital Fairness Act for all online video games and harmful features such as loot boxes and in-app currencies.
The Resolution also calls for EU-harmonised digital age limits. Age assurance and access restrictions can be powerful tools when implemented thoughtfully. However, these solutions are not a silver bullet. For age limits to work effectively, they must respect the rights of all children under 18 and complement comprehensive age-appropriate design strategies, not replace corporate responsibility.
Crucially, companies must remain accountable for the privacy, safety and security of all children accessing their services and bear the consequences when they fail to do so. Interestingly, the Resolution also “calls on the Commission to consider, as a last resort, banning persistently non-compliant sites or applications”.
Now, the EU must urgently and robustly enforce market restrictions against tech companies that fail to comply with EU regulations for children. The principle is clear: children should not be banned from the digital world, but exploitative companies should be banned from accessing them.