Previous initiatives with industry

In 1999, the first Safer Internet Programme was launched in order to support projects and events, as well as to promote industry self-regulation and international co-operation. 

In the past, self-regulation was seen as an important key instrument of the European Strategy to create a Better Internet for Children. In order to ensure that children, parents and teachers could access the right tools and information for safe use of the internet and new technologies, the European Commission supported industry self-regulation, enabling industry to create a system by which they could deal rapidly with any security challenges that may arise.

The entry into force of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in February 2024 marked a significant shift away from self-regulation. The DSA introduced a groundbreaking new standard for online platforms' accountability regarding illegal content, disinformation, and other societal risks that impact physical and mental well-being, as well as the protection of minors. This landmark legislation establishes a globally leading regulatory framework for online platforms, including social media services, online marketplaces, and search engines. Unlike the previous era of self-regulation, where platforms were largely left to police themselves, the DSA imposes clear obligations and consequences for non-compliance, ensuring a more robust and effective approach to addressing online harms. 

The DSA encourages the development of voluntary codes of conduct, which may be formally recognised under the DSA, but these codes do not replace the platforms’ responsibilities “to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security of minors, on their service”. (Art. 28). DSA Articles 35, 37 45, and 46 especially refer to codes of conduct.

The main child online safety self-regulatory initiatives known to or supported by the Commission were as follows. Of these only the ICT Coalition is still active. 

European framework for safer mobile use by young teenagers and children (2007)

• The result of discussions held in a high-level group, which set out a series of measures the signatories committed to implement on their services throughout Europe, including:
  • access control for adult content;
  • awareness-raising campaigns for parents and children;
  • the classification of commercial content according to national standards of decency and appropriateness;
  • the fight against illegal content on mobiles.

The safer social networking principles for the EU (2009)

• A self-regulatory agreement signed by the major social networking services providers active in Europe committed to implementing measures to ensure the safety of minors on their services. A commitment was reached to set guiding principles for safer social networking, which were signed by 21 companies.
  • Evaluation of the Implementation of the Safer Social Networking Principles for the EU Part I: General Report (2010)
    • This report is a part of the European Commission's commitment to and support of the self-regulatory initiative from social networks to implement ‘Safer Social Networking Principles' signed by 20 social networking companies in 2009. The report analyses the 19 self-declarations submitted by the signatories of the Principles as well as 25 of the services offered among these companies in order to give an overview of the general level of implementation.
  • Assessment of the Implementation of the Safer Social Networking Principles for the EU on 14 Websites: Summary Report (2011)
    • This report is part of the European Commission's commitment to support the industry self-regulatory initiative - the ‘Safer Social Networking Principles' signed by 21 social networking companies to date. The report summarises the findings of the second assessment (Phase A) where 14 social networking websites (SNS) were tested. 

CEO Coalition to make the internet a better place for kids (2011)

• A cooperative voluntary intervention designed to respond to emerging challenges arising from the diverse ways in which young Europeans go online.
• Company signatories to the Coalition committed to take positive action throughout 2012 in five areas:
  • Simple and robust reporting tools for users.
  • Age-appropriate privacy settings.
  • Wider use of content classification.
  • Wider availability and use of parental controls.
  • Effective takedown of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The ICT Coalition for Children Online (2012)

• An industry initiative, aiming to help younger internet users across Europe to make the most of the online world and deal with any potential challenges and risks. 
  • In 2012, members of the ICT Coalition signed up to a set of guiding principles to ensure the safety of younger internet users was integral to the products and services they develop. 
  • The Principles for the Safer Use of Connected Devices and Online Services by Children and Young People in the EU  developed by the ICT Coalition encourage best practice in the key areas of content, parental controls, dealing with abuse/misuse, child sexual abuse content or illegal content, privacy and control, and education and awareness.

Alliance to better protect children online (2016)

• A self-regulatory initiative designed to improve the online environment for children and young people, building on the work of the former CEO coalition to make the internet a better place for kids, and bringing together industry and civil society.
• Following the European Commission's invitation, leading ICT and media companies, NGOs and UNICEF officially launched the Alliance on Safer Internet Day 2017.
• Company signatories: ASKfm, BT Group, Deutsche Telekom, Disney, Facebook, Google, KPN, The LEGO Group, Liberty Global, Microsoft, Orange, Rovio, Samsung Electronics, Sky, Snap, Spotify, Sulake, Super RTL/Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland, TIM (Telecom Italia), Telefónica, Telenor, Telia Company, Twitter, Vivendi, Vodafone.
• Associated members : BBFC, Child Helpline International, COFACE, eNACSO, EUN Partnership, FFTelecoms, FOSI, FSM, GSMA, ICT Coalition, NICAM, Toy Industries of Europe, UNICEF.

In addition to endorsing the Statement of Purpose, the companies concerned made individual commitments.

The Alliance’s Statement of Purpose defined nine actions under three main strands:

User empowerment

1. Identifying and promoting best practice for the communication of data privacy practices;
2. Providing accessible and robust tools that are easy to use and to provide feedback and notification as appropriate;
3. Promoting users’ awareness and use of information and tools to help keep themselves safer online and of their responsibility and duty to behave responsibly and respectfully towards others and foster trust, at the same time promoting minor’s digital empowerment;
4. Promoting use of content classification when and where appropriate;
5. Promoting the awareness and use of parental control tools.

Enhanced collaboration

6. Intensifying cooperation with other parties such as Child Safety Organisations Governments, education services and law enforcement to enhance best practice-sharing;
7. Identifying emerging developments in technology such as connected devices and, with the support of the Commission, engage with other parties who also have a role to play in supporting child safety online.

Awareness raising

8. Supporting the development of awareness-raising campaigns about online safety, digital empowerment, and media literacy through both ad hoc and ongoing initiatives;
9. Promoting children’s access to diversified online content, opinions, information and knowledge.

The Commission formally disbanded the Alliance in July 2023, as the Digital Services Act already applied to designated very large online platforms and search engines.