Debate: The new European strategy for a better internet for kids
Date: THURSDAY, 5 OCTOBER 2023
Speaker: Dubravka Šuica
Language: EN

Some of you mentioned also effective age verification. So we are working on it. Just to mention a few ongoing actions. The Commission is preparing an age verification toolkit on the Better Internet for Kids platform to raise awareness of existing, effective and privacy preserving methods of age verification. This will include an age verification self-assessment tool for digital service providers and the child family friendly explanation of relevant solutions. The first meeting of this age verification toolkit will take place in November, around the Safer Internet Forum for this year. The Commission is also issuing a standardisation request for European standards on online age verification. And also the Commission is exploring the development of a European Union wide recognised digital proof of age based on the date of birth, within the framework of the electronic ID proposal and building on preliminary work such as the EU consent pilot projects. The topic could also be addressed in the better internet for Kids+ code. So there is much of ongoing work.  Many of you mentioned also sexual abuse. Since sexual abuse will be an extra legislative piece, I don’t have enough time to explain this, but as all of you know, for us, child sexual abuse is a serious crime with long lasting, actually lifelong consequences. And it has both offline and online components, as all of you mentioned and it knows no borders. So our firm position is that children have the fundamental right to have their best interests assessed and taken into account as a primary consideration in all our actions that affect them. But on sexual abuse, we will talk separately. Regarding the role of school in education, which I already mentioned in my introductory remarks, for us, safer internet for kids centres are the strategies, direct connection and influence with schools across the European Union. We are enlarging and strengthening this network. Member States have to ensure that digital education and awareness rising become part of the education curriculum. For us, schools play a crucial role in implementation and implementing the BIK+ strategy. We are launching large-scale media literacy campaigns, also targeted at schools and teachers who can act as multipliers.  The Commission seeks to minimise the risks and maximise the opportunities the digital age offers children. We will continue to provide a safer and better online space for children in line with the broader legislative framework and other policy priorities. We will involve children along the way, providing them space to express their views, involving them in the policymaking and delivering child-friendly communication. As I said, the network of safer internet centres will continue to be one of the most important tools. Of course, we aim for all children, including those in vulnerable situations, to benefit from this BIK+. I wanted to tell you that we cannot act alone. This requires the active engagement and commitment from Member States, from industry, from civil society, and from users themselves and also from international cooperation. So we really greatly appreciate the European Parliament’s support for the new strategy for a better internet for kids and for this resolution. Regarding empowering children, we fully recognise that the importance of empowering children and giving them the skills to navigate the online world confidentially themselves. This is why Better Internet for Kids seeks a balance between empowerment and protection with children themselves being involved in all work streams. Online protection, digital empowerment and digital inclusion are European as well as global challenges. It’s not only European, so we have to bear this in mind. By joining forces, we can address these issues more effectively and more efficiently. Finally, our goal must be nothing less than a safe, secure and trusted digital space as a cornerstone of our digital society, for every child and for everyone, everywhere.