The European Parliament has adopted a report that makes an unambiguous statement: the current framework for protecting minors on the internet remains inadequate to address the risks to which children and adolescents are exposed.
Despite advances in Digital Services Act (DSA), Addictive practices, aggressive marketing tactics and the lack of harmonised rules continue to put young users at risk.
This report signals a desire to accelerate digital regulation at European level., with the protection of minors at the heart of our priorities.
Direct consequences for platforms, families and minors
For platforms: These recommendations would entail stricter obligations in terms of service design, age verification and limiting addictive practices, with increased penalties for non-compliance.
For parents: they would strengthen their role in children's access to digital services, with more consent, information and control mechanisms.
For minors: These could translate into more regulated access to platforms, less addictive interfaces, and better protection against AI-related content, commercial practices, and risks.
A European digital majority and enhanced age verification
The text recommends defining a European architecture for the digital majority, in order to harmonise rules between Member States.
The main proposals:
Under 13 years of age: no access to digital platforms.
Between 13 and 16 years old: access only with parental consent.
Recommendation to extend this threshold video sharing platforms and conversational AI considered to be risky.
With the implementation of robust, reliable and non-intrusive age verification mechanisms, reconciling protection and the right of access to information.
Regulation of addictive features
The report identifies persuasive design practices that promote hyperconnectivity and prolonged engagement among young people:
- infinite scrolling
- continuous notifications
- pull-to-refresh
- virtual currencies
- pay-to-win mechanics
- ephemeral stories
- streaks
- auto-play
- loot boxes
These features, designed to maximise time spent online, are considered issues affecting the wellbeing of minors.The report calls for them to be horizontally framed in the future Digital Fairness Act, with a security-first approach from the design stage of services.
«Dark patterns and consumer protection
Parliament condemns the widespread use of « dark patterns» (misleading interfaces) in 97 % of the applications and websites studied.
However, while the DSA prohibits these practices on online platforms, many other forms of digital environments still escape clear prohibition.
The report therefore calls for expand and strengthen the legal framework to better protect users, particularly minors.
Video games and monetisation: the case of loot boxes
The analysis highlights that the majority of video games are not regulated by the DSA and are based on self-regulatory mechanisms (PEGI).
Certain practices, in particular loot boxes, are similar to games of chance and expose young people to financial and behavioural risks.
Parliament's recommendation:
assess existing national legislation; ;
to consider a European initiative that could go as far as banning loot boxes for minors.
Commercial influence and kidfluencing«
With the rise of minor content creators, the report recommends a strict supervision influencer marketing that involves them.
Key recommendations:
ban on monetising “kidfluencing” ;
creation of a protective framework inspired by that for child actors; ;
clear and harmonised labelling of sponsored content, with specific rules on how to present this content to young audiences.
Generative AI, deepfakes and conversational AI
Parliament identifies specific risks associated with generative AI tools, deepfakes and conversational companions:
⚠ manipulation & misinformation
⚠ manipulated sexualised content
⚠ risk of identity theft
⚠ blackmail & cyberbullying
⚠ incitement to dangerous behaviour
He asks an ambitious application of the AI Act, the classification of AI-related scams as systemic risks, as well as specific safeguards for services intended for minors.
Digital education: an essential pillar
The report emphasises the need to generalise media and digital literacy education within school curricula.
He emphasises the importance of train teachers but also to inform parents and children, for informed guidance on usage.
Parliament also calls for European guidelines on age-appropriate screen time.
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What now?
The European Commission will have to respond to Parliament and specify how it intends to follow up on these recommendations.
This report will constitute a reference text in the drafting of the future Digital Fairness Act, which sets out high expectations regarding the protection of minors.
It also calls on the Commission to intensify its DSA investigations, particularly against large platforms and pornographic websites that do not verify age.
