Editor's note: The IAPP is policy neutral. We publish contributed opinion pieces to enable our members to hear a broad spectrum of views in our domains.
Technology is not inherently good or bad, but as we all know, its misuse can bring ugliness.
According to Eurostat, around 1 in 6 children aged 11-15 report they have been victims of cyberbullying. For sake of argument, let's postulate that age bracket represents a conservative 5% of the EU population. Empirically, that means that more than 3.5 million kids in Europe are victims of cyberbullying, not counting those who didn't report it.
That equals the entire population of a city like Madrid.
Education, awareness and digital literacy are part of the response to help our society address this ugliness that too many of our kids confront. But the response surely cannot rely only on good faith in human nature. The European Commission set in motion this week its action plan against cyberbullying with three pillars of action: a coordinated EU approach largely based on leveraging the existing legal framework; prevention and awareness; and reporting and support.
The EU rulebook that can support a fight against cyberbullying is quite expansive as it is, including due to newer laws like the Digital Services Act and Artificial Intelligence Act. The Commission plans to further leverage its ongoing implementation in that direction by: expanding the focus on tackling cyberbullying in the review of the DSA guidelines on the protection of minors expected in 2026; adopting DSA guidelines on trusted flaggers before summer; assessing ways to address cyberbullying on video sharing platforms during the upcoming review of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive expected by fall; and facilitating implementation of the AI Act transparency obligations and provisions on prohibited AI practices, starting at the end of the year.
The Commission is also looking at strengthening the application of the right to erasure under the EU General Data Protection Regulation by supporting data protection authorities in developing child-focused tools in their national language to protect children from online risks, such as data or account theft, sexual blackmail and cyberbullying.
Many jurisdictions globally are implementing or contemplating social media access age restrictions for children. The Commission is seeking expert advice on social media age restrictions in Europe and recommendations are expected by summer.
"A coordinated European approach to age thresholds would ensure all European children receive equal protection and would prevent legal fragmentation in the single digital market. The expert panel will pave the way to a coordinated, potentially legislative European approach to age thresholds and an evidence-based awareness-raising campaign, empowering parents to take effective control of their children's access to online content," states the action plan.
Isabelle Roccia, CIPP/E, is the managing director, Europe, for the IAPP.