Better Internet for Kids

The Jutland Declaration sets out a shared political direction towards future initiatives from the EU Commission. The declaration calls for a European legal requirement for effective and privacy-preserving age verification on social media. It also calls for measures to create a safer online environment and to address harmful practices on digital services, such as addictive designs and dark patterns. Signed by EU digital ministers, the document calls for strengthening EU regulatory frameworks, such as the Digital Services Act, to force tech providers to implement robust, privacy-preserving age verification and enforce safety-by-design standards. It highlights urgent risks posed by addictive features (e.g., infinite scroll, dark patterns), exposure to harmful or illegal content, and data exploitation. Beyond strict platform regulation, the declaration calls for cross-border cooperation, enhanced digital literacy, and empowering parents and educators to support youth well-being online.