Better Internet for Kids

The report seeks to centre the human impact of AI CSAM (child sexual abuse material), setting out clearly the harm caused to children and wider society. It captures the views of expert analysts, who are on the frontline of removing AI CSAM from the internet, as well as excerpts from dark web offender communities, where users openly celebrate the accessibility and sophistication of AI-generated abuse.

Responding to the growing need to understand if and how children use GenAI across Europe, and its potential implications for risks and opportunities, this EUKO (EU Kids Online) report is a thematic publication based on data from the EUKO 2025 survey. It is the first international report released from the new dataset and is published in connection with Safer Internet Day 2026 under its theme: 'Smart tech, safe choices – Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI'.

This report provides elements for an integrated agenda for research and policy regarding children’s rights and Artificial Intelligence. It aims to connect scientific evidence with policymaking, to gain insights of the interplay between different stakeholders, and to go beyond the identification of ethical guidelines towards methods for practical future implementations. 

The report examines how children’s developmental stages shape their online behaviour, vulnerabilities, and safety needs. Drawing on Ofcom’s multi‑method research with children aged 8–17, it identifies clear developmental patterns in digital engagement, risk perception, and susceptibility to harm. 

The article examines how digital platforms, especially social media and algorithmic environments, shape children’s online experiences and expose them to evolving risks. It argues that traditional online‑safety approaches—focused on content moderation, parental controls, or age restrictions—are insufficient in the face of complex, systemic harms generated by platform design, datafication, and engagement‑driven algorithms. 

The booklet provides an accessible introduction to digital privacy for young people, explaining how personal data is collected, stored, and used across online platforms. It highlights the risks associated with social media, mobile apps, gaming platforms, and online communication, emphasizing how datafication, surveillance, and algorithmic profiling shape young people’s digital experiences. 

The VOICE report gathers the perspectives of 483 children (ages 11–17) across 15 countries and 6,618 caregivers, documenting their experiences, concerns, and expectations regarding online safety. The study—conducted by Terre des Hommes, ECPAT International, and Eurochild—shows that children value online communication and opportunities but frequently encounter risks affecting their mental health, privacy, and personal safety. 

The report presents the outcomes of ECPAT International’s second expert workshop on the EU’s proposed regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse (CSA). It gathers insights from legal scholars, child‑protection practitioners, technologists, and civil‑society organisations to assess the Regulation’s feasibility, proportionality, and child‑rights implications. 

This report examines the persuasive design features and strategies common to many popular digital products and services used by children. It considers the impact of persuasive design on children’s social, mental and physical development, and how the digital world can be redesigned to ensure children’s rights are recognised, respected and upheld. The most commonly used persuasive design strategies are those deployed in service to the ‘attention economy’ - a system where revenue is generated by monetisting engagement.

This manifesto brings forth ideas and suggestions that have emerged from the UK’s Children’s AI Summit. Particularly, this document includes key points of suggestions for stakeholders, especially tech companies and includes quotes from 41 participants. However, due to the funding of the project coming from corporations, it is unclear how organisers ensure that the manifesto remains fair and uncritical. Children call on world leaders to listen to them, ensure AI is safe, ethical, transparent, and fair, and adopt laws that protect children’s rights in digital environments.