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MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION (2026/2693(RSP))

On the need for targeted criminal provisions and platforms’ responsibility to effectively address cyberbullying and online harassment

B-10-2026-0206

on behalf of the Renew Group · Rapporteur: Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

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Parliament calls for a common EU definition of cyberbullying, possible EU criminal law measures, and stronger platform responsibility under the Digital Services Act to protect minors online. It urges swift implementation of existing laws, regular updates to Commission guidelines, and inclusion of cyberbullying provisions in future legislation such as the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive.

Key points

  1. Calls on the Commission to develop a clear, evidence-based definition of cyberbullying and to assess the need for a harmonised EU approach, including adding it as an 'EU crime' under Article 83(1) TFEU.
  2. Urges Member States to reach consensus on adding 'hate crime' to EU crimes, noting cyberbullying could be covered, and stresses bias-motivated cyberbullying should be addressed under any EU hate crime framework.
  3. Calls on the Commission to assess the need for targeted criminal provisions to address gaps, particularly misuse of AI tools like deepfakes to facilitate cyberbullying.
  4. Takes note of existing national measures in Ireland, France, Austria, Romania, and Slovakia, and invites Member States to share best practices on addressing cyberbullying through civil and criminal law.
  5. Urges the Commission to prioritise protection of minors and child-centred policies in any harmonised approach, and calls for swift implementation of the revised Victims' Rights Directive.
  6. Calls for regular review and update of DSA guidelines on minors' protection, and welcomes more rigorous enforcement of current legislation as set out in the cyberbullying action plan.
  7. Stresses that national strategies should include evidence-based measures to address mental health impacts of excessive screen time and addictive algorithms, and calls for mandatory media and digital literacy programmes in curricula.
  8. Welcomes preventive steps in the action plan, including resources for schools and an online safety app, and urges that such tools be child-friendly and accessible.
  9. Underlines the DSA's role in protecting minors, stresses swift implementation and enforcement, and calls on the Commission to conclude ongoing investigations; rejects attempts by non-EU countries to weaken DSA enforcement.
  10. Calls for robust provisions addressing cyberbullying in the upcoming revision of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, and urges Member States to allocate targeted funding under the next multiannual financial framework.
  11. Welcomes efforts to ban AI systems generating child sexual abuse material or non-consensual intimate images, and calls on providers to comply with transparency obligations under the AI Act.
  12. Calls for strengthened media literacy initiatives and training for parents, educators, and caregivers to guide children in navigating digital environments responsibly.

Who is affected

  • Online platforms accessible to minors: must ensure high level of privacy, safety, and security under the DSA.
  • Providers of AI systems: must comply with transparency and watermarking obligations to label AI-generated content.
  • Member States: urged to implement national strategies, allocate funding, and strengthen media literacy initiatives.
  • Schools and educational settings: to receive resources and training on cyberbullying prevention.

Figures and deadlines

  • 24 % of adolescents aged 12-17 have faced cyberbullying; 40 % of LGBTIQ+ teenagers report targeted harassment; 1 in 8 children admit to cyberbullying others.
  • About 1 in 10 children become victims of cyberbullying every month.
  • 92 % of EU citizens consider urgent need for public authorities to act to protect children online.

Legal basis: Article 83(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union