Better Internet for Kids

On 16 September, Directorate General for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport held a youth policy dialogue on cyberbullying to exchange views and hear the perspectives and priorities of young people on how the European Union can develop an action plan against cyberbullying. Participants addressed key issues and provided recommendations to help the European Union tackle cyberbullying.

Commissioner Glenn Micallef initiated the policy dialogue, emphasising both the opportunities provided by connectivity and the risks of excessive online exposure. He highlighted that cyberbullying remains a major challenge in protecting children and young people online.

The European Union has developed strong legal and policy frameworks to enhance the digital safety and wellbeing of children and youths. Major initiatives namely the Better Internet for Kids' Strategy (BIK+) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) help children navigate the internet safely through responsible digital engagement and the imposition of strict rules on online platforms to curb harmful and illegal content. Despite these actions, the rate of children experiencing cyberbullying remains high as 1 in 6 adolescents report have experienced cyberbullying. 

In response, the European Commission is developing an action plan against cyberbullying focusing on minors from vulnerable backgrounds and identifying gaps in prevention, detection, and responses across the EU. The action plan will propose concrete measures, including developing a shared definition of cyberbullying, strengthening education and support systems, and improving reporting channels. As explained by the Commissioner, his focus will be on three streams of work; age verification, the effects of social media on young people, and the specific realities faced by young people from vulnerable backgrounds. 

Amongst the participants in the policy dialogue, six longstanding Youth Ambassadors of BIK, exchanged views with Commissioner Micallef and provided recommendations to tackle cyberbullying.

Youth Ambassadors highlighted the need for stronger age verification and easier reporting mechanisms to ensure that perpetrators hiding behind anonymity can be held accountable for their online actions.

“Being a part of the Youth Policy Dialogue was an unforgettable experience. Amazing ideas were brought to the table, and I was truly inspired by hearing the opinions of other young people. All of us agreed on the fact that cyberbullying, along with other factors, such as anonymity and underage users, is a huge issue. We got to share our own experiences, points of view, and ideas to eliminate it. I appreciated the way the commissioner really listened to everyone and explained the whole process behind creating the action plan against cyberbullying.”
Miroslav, 18, Slovakia

Young people also discussed the serious impact of cyberbullying on mental health as well as the need for a coordinated approach from professionals, educators, and parents to create safer spaces in class and at home. Participants agreed that a common definition of cyberbullying is key to developing measures and training for parents and professionals to identify it and to support children and young people to addressing it.

“I shared my perspective on how online harassment affects young people and the need for stronger measures to ensure safety in digital spaces. The meeting gave me valuable insight into how European institutions address such challenges, and it was inspiring to see how youth voices can contribute to shaping policies that promote a safer and more inclusive online environment.”
Ivita, 16, Lithuania

The policy dialogue was an opportunity for the European Commission to gain insights from young people who witness the devastating effects of cyberbullying, while also giving those young people the chance to learn about the measures the European Union is taking to address and fight cyberbullying.

“The conversation gave us young people the sense that our voices truly matter in shaping future policies and legislation. It was inspiring to collaborate on such an important issue and to leave with the feeling that together we can make a real difference for the future.”
Aisling, 18, Ireland

“It was wonderful to see such collaboration with young people on a topic as diverse and complex as cyberbullying, ensuring that the Commission’s EU-wide action plan against cyberbullying is as effective as it could possibly be. I truly enjoyed hearing the other participant’s suggestions and truly believe that our input was heard and action is being taken on what was discussed.”
George, 18, Malta

“The discussion was incredibly productive, where everyone shared their views based on their experiences, not only as young people like myself and others, but we heard from educators, university students, partners of NGOs, etc. It was a very open conversation, prompted by the opening statement from the Commissioner, Glenn Micallef. Commissioner Micallef asked us follow up questions and was genuinely curious about possible solutions that we thought would be the most effective for issues such as age verification, anonymity, and overreliance on technology.”
Diya, 17, Finland

Discover more about youth participation activities in the BIK Youth section of the portal.