This 2024 COFACE policy brief examines how families can be better supported to ensure children have safe and enriching experiences online. It reviews the main EU policy and legislative frameworks affecting children’s rights in the digital environment, including BIK+, the Digital Services Act, the AI Act and initiatives on child sexual abuse, and considers how well they take the family perspective into account. The brief also presents examples from COFACE member organisations across Europe, covering areas such as digital parenting, cyberbullying, child sexual abuse prevention, inclusion, digital literacy and healthier use of screens. Its recommendations call for stronger and better-coordinated EU regulation, safer-by-design digital services, more support for parents, carers and educators, and greater investment in digital literacy, prevention, research and community-level support. It stresses that children should be protected from online harms without losing the benefits and opportunities offered by digital technologies.
This 2024 COFACE policy brief examines how families can be better supported to ensure children have safe and enriching experiences online. It reviews the main EU policy and legislative frameworks affecting children’s rights in the digital environment, including BIK+, the Digital Services Act, the AI Act and initiatives on child sexual abuse, and considers how well they take the family perspective into account. The brief also presents examples from COFACE member organisations across Europe, covering areas such as digital parenting, cyberbullying, child sexual abuse prevention, inclusion, digital literacy and healthier use of screens. Its recommendations call for stronger and better-coordinated EU regulation, safer-by-design digital services, more support for parents, carers and educators, and greater investment in digital literacy, prevention, research and community-level support. It stresses that children should be protected from online harms without losing the benefits and opportunities offered by digital technologies.
- digital literacy online safety