Protection of minors online

Wording as published by the EP, in English.

1. Amendment 1Rejected

   Paragraph 1 a (new)

   Tabled by Virginie Joron, Vilis Krištopans, Nikola Bartůšek +77 · Members

   Added: 1a. Calls for the swift and effective implementation of the surveillance and sanction measures provided for in Regulation (EU) 2017/2394, Regulation (EU) 2019/10201a, Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, and Regulation (EU) 2023/9881b when online platforms offer or sell illegal, dangerous or non-compliant products, in order to ensure a high level of consumer protection, with particular attention to minors as a highly vulnerable group requiring reinforced safeguards, notably to combat child sexual abuse; considers that these measures remain insufficient and that actions such as the temporary or even permanent suspension of the website concerned should be easily and swiftly applicable at national level; ____________ 1a Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on market surveillance and compliance of products and amending Directive 2004/42/EC and Regulations (EC) No 765/2008 and (EU) No 305/2011 (OJ L 169, 25.6.2019, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1020/oj). 1b Regulation (EU) 2023/988 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on general product safety, amending Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive (EU) 2020/1828 of the European Parliament and the Council, and repealing Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 87/357/EEC (OJ L 135, 23.5.2023, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/988/oj).

2. Amendment 3Rejected

   Paragraph 28

   Tabled by Elisabeth Dieringer, Vilis Krištopans, Nikola Bartůšek +72 · Members

   28. Removed: Calls for the establishment of a harmonised European digital age limit of 16 as the default threshold under which Added: Recognises the diverse perspectives among Member States regarding appropriate age limits for access to online social media Removed: platforms should not be allowed unless parents or guardians have authorised their children otherwise; calls for the same age limit to apply to video-sharing platforms and AI companions that present risks to minors; calls, furthermore, for a harmonised European digital age limit of 13, under which no minor can access social media platforms; calls on the panel of experts commissioned by President von der Leyen to assess, as part of their mandate, the application of an age limit of 13 Added: platforms, for video-sharing services and AI companions; stresses that Removed: this would serve as a protective measure Added: establishing digital age limits remains within the remit of Member States; calls for any age limits to be determined in consultation with child development experts and psychologists; recognises that while a coordinated European approach regarding an age limit of 13 could be beneficial, Member States should retain the flexibility to set appropriate thresholds based on expert guidance and their own cultural, educational and parental approaches, with provisions allowing minors to access platforms with parental or guardian authorisation; stresses that such measures would serve to support parents in managing their children’s digital presence and ensuring age-appropriate …

3. Amendment 4Rejected

   Paragraph 17

   Tabled by Kosma Złotowski, Piotr Müller, Arkadiusz Mularczyk +76 · Members

   17. Removed: Welcomes Added: Notes the Commission’s risk-based approach taken in its guidelines for effective, proportionate and … to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors; Added: recognises, however, that decisions on concrete measures in this field fall primarily within the competence of the Member States; calls on the Commission to Removed: present, if necessary, appropriate legislative measures to provide legal certainty and ensure a harmonised Added: continue providing guidance and facilitating cooperation and, only if necessary and with full respect for Member States’ prerogatives, to take appropriate measures to support a coordinated approach for safe and reliable age assurance Removed: mechanisms, taking into account the Commission guidelines on the protection of Added: mechanisms; emphasises that any future action must avoid unnecessary harmonisation and fully respect Member States’ competences and the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, while supporting Member States in achieving a high level of protection for minors throughout the Removed: EU, and guaranteeing an equal level of protection of minors in the Union;

4. Amendment 5Rejected

   Paragraph 20

   Tabled by Kosma Złotowski, Piotr Müller, Arkadiusz Mularczyk +76 · Members

   … a silver bullet for protecting minors from the many risks they face Removed: online; emphasises that such tools cannot remove Added: online and are prone to cybersecurity attacks, privacy intrusions, leaks of data and sensitive personal information and are easy to circumvent; expresses concern that mandatory EU age verification requirements could undermine online anonymity, with a potentially chilling effect on free speech; emphasises further that parents play a central role in ensuring safe online behaviour, and that their role cannot be replaced by legal measures or state involvement; underlines that strengthening education and awareness for both parents and children remains the most effective long-term approach to fostering healthy and informed digital habits; recalls platforms’ accountability for ensuring their products are safe and appropriate for minors …

5. Amendment 6Rejected

   Paragraph 23

   Tabled by Kosma Złotowski, Piotr Müller, Arkadiusz Mularczyk +76 · Members

   … that have already developed digital tools for effective age verification and the Removed: Commission in order to develop a strong and effective age verification tool at EU level, ensuring full respect for the technical specifications derived from the eIDAS2 Regulation; Added: Commission, with a view to exchanging best practices and supporting voluntary interoperability, while stressing that the introduction and enforcement of age-verification systems fall exclusively within the competence of the Member States, particularly as such systems require societal acceptance and must reflect public discourse as well as the diverse positions of parents across the Member States;

6. Amendment 7Rejected

   Paragraph 24

   Tabled by Kosma Złotowski, Piotr Müller, Arkadiusz Mularczyk +76 · Members

   24. Removed: Welcomes Added: Notes the Commission’s efforts to provide an EU-wide solution by developing an age-verification … proof protocols, building on the principles of minimal exposure and data minimisation; Added: stresses that any EU-level initiatives in this area must remain voluntary, respect national prerogatives and avoid the creation of a mandatory or centralised EU-wide tool; calls on the Commission to ensure that age assurance mechanisms that are … in particular minors, nor on the deployment of other unethical technological practices; Added: recalls that Member States retain full flexibility to determine their own approaches while safeguarding fundamental rights, parental roles and national competence;