It was an exciting and intense day for Ayata and Zuzanna in Brussels on 16 June. They joined in the final meeting of the Commission's Special Panel on child safety.
Not as spectators, but as speakers and participants on behalf of children, to share experiences and opinions about kid's online lives.
What is the Special Panel?
The Special Panel, set up by Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen has brought together young people and EU experts from areas like health, neuroscience, psychology, computer science, child rights, and digital literacy.
| "For decades, we have made the real world safer for children and we must do the same in the digital world. The positive opportunities that technology offers cannot come at the cost of their safety, health or happiness." Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. |
The discussions were based on the latest research and real-life experiences of children and families. Insights from young people and citizens – through initiatives like the President’s Youth Advisory Board, Youth Policy Dialogues and a recent Eurobarometer survey on social media use – have also been a key part of this work.
The Panel's co-chairs Dr Maria Melchior and Prof Dr Jörg M. Fegert (seen below) will present a report to President von der Leyen on 13 July with their recommendations.
Young voices at the Panel
During this third meeting, the Panel looked at lessons learned and best practices from the EU and partner countries.
Ayata and Suzanna, who represented the Platform and spoke on behalf of children, were joined by four Youth Ambassadors. Each of them gave both opening and closing statements to the Panel, as did each adult expert.
| "Young people need clear rights, understandable information, effective reporting tools, and a real voice in shaping the digital spaces they use every day. The internet is not only a place of risk. For many young people, it is also a place of learning, connection, creativity, and support. So instead of banning or restricting, make it a place of inspiration, safe for everyone. That is why my message is simple: build the internet with us, not just for us." Ayata, aged 15 |
There were also two workshops with more in-depth group discussions on topics such as:
- How to empower parents, caregivers, and educators to teach and support children’s responsible use of digital services
- The key characteristics of a safe and child-friendly digital environment
- Should access to certain tools or services be delayed, in what sequence and until what age
- What more should be done to protect and empower children, and how concretely
| "There is a desperate need for an autonomy-based approach to young people. Kids are restricted from all sides by anxious parents, and social media is an escape from that. Youth need to be involved in decisions and discussion about online spaces, because only then, will they follow the regulations, and be empowered through resilience, in having critical reception and self-management skills for the unpredictable digital future." Zuzanna, aged 17 |