Better Internet for Kids

Futura is the educational branch of the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), setting six reforms and ten plans to invest in a new educational system that includes digital skills and guarantees the right to education. The measures relate, in fact, to the most strategic aspects of education: the reorganization of the school system, the training of staff, recruitment procedures, the guidance system, the reorganization of technical and professional institutes and Higher Technical Institutes (ITS).

The GDPR says that children’s personal data need specific protection, as children may be less aware of their rights, and of what can happen if a company uses their personal data, especially for advertising or proposing content. Information about data processing should be clear and easy for a child to understand. Everyone has the right to be forgotten, under certain conditions. That means a user can ask a company to remove his/her personal data, especially when if (s)he agreed to this as a child.

General Advertising Law 34/1988 is structured into four titles: the first two set out general provisions and define illicit advertising, including administrative interventions for products or services that may pose risks to health or safety.

This law means that non-food products sold in the EU must be safe. Countries can quickly alert each other about dangerous products.

In 2021, the European Commission proposed an update to strengthen existing rules. The proposal mentions the risks of products not made for children but that look like something appealing to children or meant for children – like sweets or toys. Safety would also apply to products based on new technologies like Artificial Intelligence that can affect people’s mental health and children’s healthy development.

The Global Strategy on Minors, Digital Health and Privacy (January 29, 2024) presents the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) priority lines of action to promote the effective protection of children and adolescents on the Internet. The strategy includes collaboration with national and international organizations competent in the matter. It contains 10 priority actions and 35 measures grouped into three axes: regulatory collaboration, reinforcement to guarantee the rights of children and adolescents and the exercise of investigative and sanctioning powers.

In Luxembourg, a national policy for well-being in schools has been developed and will be implemented in all high schools by 2025. The policy aims to ensure that each student has the opportunity to thrive at school in complete safety and reach their full potential, while feeling supported, respected and valued. The initiative promotes dialogue between students and adults through open communication and peer work to create positive and trustful relationships. In addition, it provides an anti-violence tool in schools and supports youth involvement in the educational community.

This report provides a summary of the government's main actions in the period 2021 to 2023 to combat gender-based violence, reforms in the handling of sexual offences in the justice system and the strengthening of prevention and education against sexual and gender-based violence and harassment. These included  reviewing and amending legislation, with action plans in the form of Parliamentary Resolutions, with increased budget appropriations earmarked for these issues, for example, to the police, and grants to various organisations working on these issues.

The Greek Advertising and Marketing Communications Code is based on the Advertising and Marketing Communications Code of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), which is applied internationally. The code was developed by the Communications Control Council, the competent body for self-regulation in the advertising market. This 2023 edition of the code sets out the rules that must be followed by all those involved in advertising and marketing, including advertisers, advertisers' agents, advertising media, content creators, influencers, bloggers, vloggers, etc.

This guidance provides information on how to correctly label content that a user may produce or share on behalf of a brand on  social media channels. It is intended to assist users to comply with consumer protection law and the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) Code of Standards for Advertising and Marketing Communications. This guidance has been jointly developed by the CCPC and the ASAI.
(Souce: CCPC).

The German Advertising Council’s guidelines from the media authorities provides assistance with labeling requirements for advertising on social media platforms (such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, etc.) and other online media such as blogs and podcasts. The basis is the advertising rules of the Interstate Media Treaty (MStV) and the Digital Services Act (DDG), which serve to protect users from misleading advertising and make commercial content transparent. The guideline includes a labeling matrix.