Sittings · Document
DRAFT OPINION (2025/2081(INI)) 2025-10-02
On the impact of social media and the online environment on young people
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection · Rapporteur: Laura Ballarín Cereza
AMENDMENTS
The Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection submits the following to the Committee on Culture and Education, as the committee responsible :
Amendment 1
Motion for a resolution
Citation 1
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child of 20 November 1989, | – having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child of 20 November 1989, which elaborates on how the Convention applies in the digital environment and explicitly recognises that the rights of the child must be respected, protected and fulfilled in that environment and requires digital service providers to offer or make available to children services appropriate to their evolving capacities and to adhere to the highest standards of ethics, privacy and safety in relation to the design of their products and services, |
Or. en
Amendment 2
Motion for a resolution
Citation 3
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the Charter), | – having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the Charter), in particular Article 24 thereof, which recognises children’s rights to protection, to have their best interests put at the centre of policymaking and to have their views taken into consideration in all matters that affect them, |
Or. en
Amendment 3
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to its resolution of 12 December 2023 on addictive design of online services and consumer protection in the EU single market1a, | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a OJ C, C/2024/4164, 2.8.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/4164/oj. |
Or. en
Amendment 4
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to its resolution of 10 November 2022 on esports and video games1a, | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a OJ C 161, 5.5.2023, p. 2. |
Or. en
Amendment 5
Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to its resolution of 18 January 2023 on consumer protection in online video games: a European single market approach1a, | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a OJ C 214, 16.6.2023, p. 15. |
Or. en
Amendment 6
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the Commission staff working document of 3 October 2024 entitled ‘Executive summary of the fitness check of EU consumer law on digital fairness’ (SWD(2024)0231), |
Or. en
Amendment 7
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the Council of Europe’s guidelines to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of the child in the digital environment, published in 2018, |
Or. en
Amendment 8
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Council Recommendation on Children in the Digital Environment, published in 2021, |
Or. en
Amendment 9
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 d (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| – having regard to the OECD Digital Economy Outlook 2024, particularly the spotlight chapter thereof on mental health and digital environments, |
Or. en
Amendment 10
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| B. whereas social media use among children in the EU aged 9-16 has more than doubled since 2010, now averaging 3 hours per day, with over 80 % using social media platforms daily, making online interaction a central part of their everyday lives; | B. whereas social media use among European minors aged 9-16 has more than doubled since 2010, now averaging 3 hours per day, with over 80 % using social media platforms daily, making online interaction a central part of their everyday lives; |
Or. en
Amendment 11
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| B a. whereas in 2024, the share of young people using the internet daily in the EU was 97 % on average; whereas in 2024, 87 % of 16- to 29-year-olds in the EU used social networks, compared to 63 % of the total population1a, | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a Eurostat, ‘97 % of young people in the EU use the internet daily’, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/edn-20250715-1. |
Or. en
Amendment 12
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| B b. whereas in OECD countries, on average, 95 % of 15-year-olds browse the internet for fun, and 96 % report browsing social networks; whereas most 15-year-olds also use digital devices for communicating and sharing digital content (88%), seeking practical information (84 %), or playing video games (83 %)1a, | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a OECD, ‘How’s Life for Children in the Digital Age?’, OECD Publishing, Paris, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1787/0854b900-en. |
Or. en
Amendment 13
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| C. whereas social media exposes young users to a wide range of harmful content, including cyberbullying, sexualised material, disinformation, body image pressures, the promotion of self-harm, violence, extremism, non-consensual content and manipulative algorithm-driven advertising; | C. whereas social media exposes young users to a wide range of harmful content, including cyberbullying, sexualised material, disinformation, body image pressures, the promotion of self-harm, violence, extremism, non-consensual content and manipulative algorithm-driven advertising; whereas the spread of harmful content is exacerbated by algorithms that can promote such content; |
Or. en
Amendment 14
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| C a. whereas recent research indicates that engagement in digital self-harm significantly raises the likelihood of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts1a; | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a OECD Digital Economy Outlook 2024 (Volume 1): Embracing the Technology Frontier, OECD Publishing, Paris, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1787/a1689dc5-en. |
Or. en
Amendment 15
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| C b. whereas establishing the age of users is important for digital safety-by-design mechanisms, as services will only be able to protect children from unsafe content and behaviours if they know which of their users are actually children; |
Or. en
Amendment 16
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| D. whereas social media platform features are designed to maximise engagement, such as infinite scrolling and compulsive engagement with notifications, foster addictive use and may exacerbate mental health challenges, contributing to sleep disruption and emotional withdrawal; | D. whereas social media platform features are designed to maximise engagement, such as infinite scrolling and compulsive engagement with notifications, and to foster addictive use, which raise concerns about addiction and the long-term effects on users’ physical and mental health; whereas this includes anxiety and depression, obsessive-compulsive symptoms (such as compulsive buying among young adults) and even suicidal tendencies as well as physical harm, such as eating disorders and problems resulting from a lack of sleep and sedentary behaviour, which include a potential increased risk of early neurodegeneration; |
Or. en
Amendment 17
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| D a. whereas 97 % of the most popular websites and apps used by EU consumers employ at least one dark pattern1a; whereas minors are particularly vulnerable to such practices; whereas, due to their developmental stage and psychological vulnerabilities, minors are more easily manipulated into sharing personal data or making unintended online purchases; | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a SWD(2024)0231, p. 19. |
Or. en
Amendment 18
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| D b. whereas there is no single comprehensive EU regulation on dark patterns; whereas the prohibition of dark patterns under the Digital Services Act (DSA) is limited to online platforms; whereas only a small number of dark patterns are explicitly prohibited by the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, and none of the existing prohibitions specifically address digital interfaces; whereas this situation creates legal uncertainty for consumers, including minors, and businesses alike; |
Or. en
Amendment 19
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| D c. whereas dark patterns and addictive designs, which are intentionally crafted to manipulate consumer choices or prolong their engagement with platforms, undermine consumer autonomy and trust; whereas these practices have far-reaching consequences, including financial losses, mental health concerns and erosion of fair competition; |
Or. en
Amendment 20
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| E. whereas excessive social media use is associated with elevated risks of mental health issues in young people, such as depression and anxiety; | E. whereas excessive social media use is associated with elevated risks of mental and physical health issues in minors, such as depression and anxiety; |
Or. en
Amendment 21
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| F. whereas social media influencers significantly shape young people’s behaviours, consumption habits and opinions; | F. whereas social media influencers significantly shape young people’s behaviours, consumption habits and opinions (such as promoting unhealthy food for children); whereas ‘childfluencers’ and children subject to ‘sharenting’ are significantly exposed to the risks of harmful contact and economic exploitation; |
Or. en
Amendment 22
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| F a. whereas research shows that anonymity can make it easier for people to engage in aggressive behaviours; whereas these behaviours can lead to conflict, emotional distress and anger among minors1a; | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a Wachs, S., M. Wright and A. Vazsonyi, ‘Understanding the overlap between cyberbullying and cyberhate perpetration: Moderating effects of toxic online disinhibition’, Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, Vol. 29/3, 2019, pp. 179-188, https://doi.org/10.1002/cbm.2116. |
Or. en
Amendment 23
Motion for a resolution
Recital F b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| F b. whereas research proves that the ability to construct hyperrealistic bodies in the virtual world through avatars and filters has been associated with dissatisfaction with, and the distortion of, one’s body image, thus negatively affecting self-esteem1a; | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a Park, J. and J. Ogle, ‘How virtual avatar experience interplays with self-concepts: The use of anthropometric 3D body models in the visual stimulation process’, Fashion and Textiles, Vol.8/28, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-021-00257-6. |
Or. en
Amendment 24
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| G a. whereas unfair commercial practices cost consumers EUR 7.9 billion annually1a, with younger age groups experiencing the highest levels of detriment; whereas the use of unfair techniques to pressure consumers, especially vulnerable consumers and children, into impulse purchases leads to overconsumption and overspending; | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a SWD(2024)0231. |
Or. en
Amendment 25
Motion for a resolution
Recital G b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| G b. whereas over 9 in 10 Europeans consider that public authorities must take urgent action to protect children online, in particular concerning the negative impact of social media on their mental health (93 %), cyberbullying and online harassment (92 %), and the need to implement mechanisms to restrict age-inappropriate content (92 %)1a; | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a European Union, ‘The Digital Decade 2025’, https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3362. |
Or. en
Amendment 26
Motion for a resolution
Recital G c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| G c. whereas the protection of consumers is essential for the functioning of the EU’s internal market, as it ensures trust and fairness in commercial practices, thereby enabling sustainable economic growth and innovation; whereas addressing these concerns is vital in promoting transparency, fairness and the responsible development of digital services and e-commerce; |
Or. en
Amendment 27
Motion for a resolution
Recital G d (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| G d. whereas AI tools are increasingly being integrated into the user experience of social media platforms, which has a significant impact on children; whereas AI technology is designed to mimic how the human brain works; whereas many AI tools operate by harvesting children’s personal information and learning their patterns or even questions; whereas such tools are designed to be engaging and persuasive and can generate harmful and illegal content; |
Or. en
Amendment 28
Motion for a resolution
Recital G e (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| G e. whereas generative AI presents opportunities for young people such as personalised learning and tools to support their creativity, but also poses serious risks to young people such as the dissemination of disinformation and harmful and illegal content; whereas children and young people are particularly vulnerable to mental and physical harm from AI-driven chatbots; whereas some children and young people spend hours every day using AI-driven chatbots, with conversations often crossing into subjects including sex, self-harm and serious illnesses such as eating disorders; whereas AI-driven chatbots are generally not designed to have these conversations in supportive, age-appropriate and evidence-based ways, which may impair minors’ physical, mental or moral development; |
Or. en
Amendment 29
Motion for a resolution
Recital G f (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| G f. whereas the guidelines on the protection of minors adopted under Article 28(1) of the DSA recognises that the increasing integration of AI chatbots and companions into online platforms as well as AI–driven deepfakes may also affect how minors interact with online platforms, exacerbate existing risks and pose new ones that can negatively affect the privacy, safety and security of minors; |
Or. en
Amendment 30
Motion for a resolution
Recital G g (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| G g. whereas the freedom of expression and information, as guaranteed by the DSA, does not impede the adoption of effective measures to protect minors online; |
Or. en
Amendment 31
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| I. whereas the current EU legal framework, including the General Data Protection Regulation, the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Artificial Intelligence Act, provides a solid foundation for protecting children online, though persistent gaps remain in consistent enforcement; | I. whereas the current EU legal framework, including the General Data Protection Regulation, the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), the DSA and the Artificial Intelligence Act, provides a solid foundation for protecting children online; whereas, despite this legislation, serious concerns remain regarding the protection of minors online and no existing EU legislation provides adequate protection for minors across digital ecosystems; |
Or. en
Amendment 32
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| I a. whereas AVMSD obligations apply to all video sharing platforms, regardless of the provider’s size, and extend beyond the issue of age verification; whereas some DSA obligations do not apply to providers of online platforms that qualify as micro or small-sized enterprises; |
Or. en
Amendment 33
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| J a. whereas studies carried out in several Member States show that minors have access to pornographic content, sometimes involuntarily, at a very young age; whereas according to a study conducted by the French Digital Services Coordinator, 2.3 million minors visit pornographic websites on a monthly basis, more than half of boys aged 12 and over visit these websites on a monthly basis and nearly two thirds of boys aged between 16 and 17 visit these websites on a monthly basis; whereas according to the Spanish Ministry of Justice, 7 out of 10 teenagers regularly consume pornography in Spain, and 53.8 % of young people between the ages of 12 and 15 state that they first watched pornographic content between the ages of 6 and 12; whereas the viewing of pornography can expose children to violent and age-inappropriate content, which has been proven to contribute to increased aggression and sexual violence and trigger harmful sexual behaviours among children and teenagers; |
Or. en
Amendment 34
Motion for a resolution
Recital J b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| J b. whereas the AVMSD recognises the protection of minors as an important EU policy objective and includes key provisions to ensure better protection of minors from content on video sharing platforms that may impair their physical, mental or moral development; |
Or. en
Amendment 35
Motion for a resolution
Recital J c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| J c. whereas the DSA recognises the protection of minors as an important EU policy objective and includes key provisions to ensure better protection of minors online, such as Articles 14(3), 28, 34(1)(d), 35(1)(j) and 44(1)(j); |
Or. en
Amendment 36
Motion for a resolution
Recital J d (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| J d. whereas Article 28(1) of the DSA states that online platforms that are accessible to minors must ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security for children; |
Or. en
Amendment 37
Motion for a resolution
Recital J e (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| J e. whereas Article 34 of the DSA states that very large online platforms (VLOPs) and very large online search engines (VLOSES) must identify and assess the systemic risks to children’s rights and the protection of minors and any serious negative consequences for the user’s physical and mental well-being; whereas Article 35 states that, following this assessment, they must implement reasonable, proportionate and effective mitigation measures, which may include adapting the design, features or functioning of the service and taking targeted measures to protect the rights of the child, such as the use of age verification tools; |
Or. en
Amendment 38
Motion for a resolution
Recital J f (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| J f. whereas some online video games use data collection and advertisements to monetise their user base, creating an incentive to get users, including minors and children, to spend as much time as possible playing video games; |
Or. en
Amendment 39
Motion for a resolution
Recital J g (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| J g. whereas the lack of a robust, cross-border comparable evidence base on mental health and digital environments poses a challenge for researchers and policymakers; whereas the establishment of standard definitions and figures is an important step forward; |
Or. en
Amendment 40
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 1. Stresses that addressing the impact of social media on young people requires a unified strategy combining safety-by-design, algorithmic transparency, privacy-first age assurance, digital literacy, participatory governance and evidence-based evaluation to ensure equal protection and empowerment for all; | 1. Stresses that addressing the impact of social media on young people requires a unified strategy combining safety-by-design, algorithmic transparency and control, privacy-first age assurance, digital literacy, participatory governance and evidence-based evaluation to ensure equal protection and empowerment for all; |
Or. en
Amendment 41
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Current EU legal framework | EU legal framework |
Or. en
Amendment 42
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 2 a. Underlines the importance of existing EU legislation, such as the AVMSD, DSA, GDPR, AI Act and the UCPD, in protecting minors online; calls on the Commission to present an ambitious digital fairness act as early as possible, especially to tackle dark patterns, addictive design features, deceptive influencer marketing and the dissemination of fake or misleading online reviews; |
Or. en
Amendment 43
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 2 b. Stresses the urgent need to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of existing EU legislation, in particular the AVMSD, the DSA and the AI Act, and to tackle remaining challenges to create a safe online environment for all users, especially minors; |
Or. en
Amendment 44
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 2 c. Urges the Member States to increase financial and human resources for Digital Services Coordinators and other national competent authorities in order to ensure effective implementation and enforcement of the above-mentioned EU legislation; stresses the need to support the staff of the competent authorities dealing with harmful and illegal content through a well-defined framework and psychological support and assistance; |
Or. en
Amendment 45
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 d (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 2 d. Stresses the need to strengthen cooperation among national competent authorities and between national competent authorities and the Commission, as this is essential for the implementation of EU legislation in all Member States; asks the Commission and the Member States to support stronger cooperation and information sharing between competent authorities; stresses the need for collaboration with civil society organisations to inform the development of well-targeted policies; |
Or. en
Amendment 46
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 4
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| AIA | AI Act |
Or. en
Amendment 47
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 6. Stresses that AI-driven youth-facing services, such as chatbots, personalisation engines and algorithmic content filters, present new risks of bias, manipulation and privacy intrusions, reinforcing the necessity of enforcing the Artificial Intelligence Act’s obligations on transparency, risk assessment and the safeguarding of children’s rights; | 6. Stresses that the increasing ease of access and use of generative AI tools for minors, as well as the growing presence of AI-driven youth-facing services, such as chatbots, personalisation engines and algorithmic content filters, present new risks of bias, manipulation and AI anthropomorphism – particularly deepfakes – which can distort reality, spread misinformation, prompt unintended online purchases, and encourage the sharing of personal data, thereby reinforcing the necessity of enforcing the AI Act’s obligations on transparency, risk assessment and the safeguarding of children’s rights; warns, furthermore, that interactions with AI companions or chatbots have, in some cases, led to personal tragedies, including an increasing number of suicides; |
Or. en
Amendment 48
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 6 a. Stresses that the AI Act aims to ensure a high level of protection for individuals’ health, safety and fundamental rights, including the rights of the child, and includes key provisions to that effect, such as Article 5(1)(b), which prohibits AI systems that exploit vulnerabilities based on age, Article 6, which identifies high-risk AI systems, (notably for toys and education), Article 7, which states the conditions for modifying use–cases of AI systems, and Article 9, which requires the establishment of a risk management system for high-risk AI systems; |
Or. en
Amendment 49
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 6 b. Stresses that the AI Act addresses the systemic risks posed by AI systems, including those used for content generation, recommendation mechanisms and user interactions on online platforms; calls for the rapid implementation of the AI Act’s transparency obligations, particularly the effective watermarking of AI-generated content on online platforms; urges the Commission to avoid delaying its application or reopening the legislation; |
Or. en
Amendment 50
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3 (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| DSA |
Or. en
Amendment 51
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 d (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 6 d. Underlines that the DSA obliges online platforms accessible to minors to implement appropriate and proportionate measures to guarantee a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors using their services; |
Or. en
Amendment 52
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3 (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 6 c. DSA |
Or. en
Amendment 53
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 e (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 6 e. Expresses concern over the proliferation of dangerous trends and challenges on online platforms that may impair the mental and physical development of minors; urges the Commission to set up an effective EU-level rapid alert mechanism to identify and respond to such issues; |
Or. en
Amendment 54
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 f (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 6 f. Stresses the need for the prompt implementation and strict enforcement of the DSA as a whole to ensure a safe online environment for minors; welcomes, in particular, the Commission’s ongoing investigations under the DSA concerning the protection of minors online; calls on the Commission to conclude these investigations without delay and to adopt any further necessary measures, including fines and effective corrective actions, in line with the DSA framework; |
Or. en
Amendment 55
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 g (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 6 g. Emphasises that the risk assessments conducted by very large online platforms and search engines under the DSA concerning minors’ online safety are insufficient, lack independent oversight and underestimate the risks to minors; urges the Commission, with the support of Digital Services Coordinators, to fully utilise the instruments provided by the DSA to address these shortcomings; |
Or. en
Amendment 56
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 h (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 6 h. Recalls that the enforcement of the DSA is a shared responsibility between the Commission and the Member States; expresses concern over significant delays in the designation and/or empowerment of Digital Services Coordinators in several Member States; welcomes, in this regard, the infringement proceedings initiated against Member States that have failed to designate and/or empower Digital Services Coordinators; calls on the Commission to ensure a harmonised approach to enforcement by Member States to prevent fragmentation of the internal market; |
Or. en
Amendment 57
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 7. Welcomes the July 2025 Commission guidelines pursuant to Article 28 DSA as a key step in strengthening child protection online, particularly on VSPs and social media, offering practical tools to help platforms and regulators apply the DSA rules effectively; | 7. Welcomes the July 2025 Commission guidelines pursuant to Article 28 DSA as a key step in strengthening child protection online, particularly on VSPs and social media, offering practical measures for Digital Services Coordinators and the Commission to enforce the DSA rules and for online platforms to ensure compliance; |
Or. en
Amendment 58
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 7 a. Stresses that the guidelines on the protection of minors adopted under Article 28(1) of the DSA provide recommendations to online platforms on the use of AI functionalities; notes that these recommendations include that AI chatbots and filters should not be activated automatically, that AI features should only be made available on online platforms accessible to children following an assessment of the risks those AI features may pose to minors’ privacy, safety and security, that these AI features should be easy to turn off and that it should be clear when they have not been turned off; stresses that these guidelines must be enforced robustly by the Commission and the Digital Services Coordinators; |
Or. en
Amendment 59
Motion for a resolution
Sub-subheading 3 (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 7 b. Upcoming Digital Fairness Act |
Or. en
Amendment 60
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 7 c. Welcomes the Commission’s ‘digital fairness’ fitness check of consumer law; underlines that some issues remain unaddressed concerning the protection of consumers online, with minors identified as being particularly vulnerable to unfair and manipulative online practices; |
Or. en
Amendment 61
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 d (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 7 d. Calls on the Commission to present an ambitious digital fairness act as early as possible to strengthen the protection of minors online; believes that persuasive technologies used by online actors, such as targeted advertising, influencer marketing, the dissemination of fake or misleading online reviews, addictive design and dark patterns, should be regulated under the Digital Fairness Act, which should close legal loopholes and be consistent with current legal instruments in order to better protect consumers online; |
Or. en
Amendment 62
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 e (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 7 e. Urges the Commission, through the forthcoming digital fairness act, to review the list of unfair commercial practices in Annex I of the UCPD in order to explicitly prohibit dark patterns, including techniques such as giving undue prominence to certain options when seeking consumer consent, presenting preselected choices, making it difficult to change default settings, using emotional or ambiguous language to influence decisions, or employing misleading prompts such as claims of limited availability, high demand, or recent purchases by others; |
Or. en
Amendment 63
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 9 a. Stresses that the addictive use of digital products and services can cause serious mental harm, particularly to minors, while also entailing economic and physical risks; underlines that addictive design features embedded in platform business models exploit minors commercially at the expense of their well-being; emphasises, furthermore, that algorithmic recommender systems often amplify emotive and extremist content to maximise engagement, which can worsen anxiety, depression and other mental health issues; is deeply concerned that such practices may trap minors in harmful ‘rabbit holes’ of toxic content; calls on the Commission to propose legislation mandating safety-by-design, requiring all platforms to integrate safeguards into their recommender systems to protect the mental health of young users; |
Or. en
Amendment 64
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 10. Stresses the need for effective and privacy-respecting age verification and parental controls; calls, in that regard, for interoperable age assurance systems, linked to the EU Digital Identity Wallet, that verify a user’s age without collecting or retaining personal data; | 10. Stresses the need for effective, accurate age verification and parental control tools that respect privacy and children’s rights; calls, in that regard, for interoperable age assurance systems, linked to the EU Digital Identity Wallet, that verify a user’s age without collecting or retaining personal data; |
Or. en
Amendment 65
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 10 a. Highlights that age assurance practices are currently fragmented across the EU, contributing to internal market fragmentation; regrets that these differing national approaches may result in inconsistent levels of protection for minors across the Union; |
Or. en
Amendment 66
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 10 b. Notes that several online platform providers have introduced mechanisms to control or verify access to their services; stresses, however, that minors still have widespread access to age-inappropriate content; underlines that existing mechanisms are easily bypassed and must be reinforced with stronger safeguards to ensure adequate protection of minors online, particularly against harmful and age-inappropriate material such as pornography and violent content; |
Or. en
Amendment 67
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 11. Urges online platforms to take greater responsibility for protecting minors from harmful or manipulative content, by ensuring proactive moderation, default safety measures and algorithmic adjustments to prevent exposure to addictive or deceitful content; | 11. Urges online platforms to take accountability in protecting minors from harmful or manipulative content, by complying with the highest levels of safety, privacy and security, as set out in Article 28(1) of the DSA and the guidelines on the protection of minors, notably by implementing age-appropriate designs on their interfaces and by ensuring proactive moderation, default safety measures and algorithmic control to prevent exposure to addictive or deceitful content; |
Or. en
Amendment 68
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 11 a. Emphasises that addictive design features are embedded in the business models of platforms and other online service providers (including messaging services), leading to the commercial exploitation of minors; |
Or. en
Amendment 69
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 11 b. Welcomes the inclusion of and the importance accorded to age assurance mechanisms in the Commission’s guidelines on the protection of minors; welcomes the Commission’s current work on a provisional EU age verification solution until the EU Digital Identity Wallet becomes available and its efforts to ensure its scalability and compatibility with the final solution; |
Or. en
Amendment 70
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 11 c. Stresses the fact that some Member States have already developed digital tools that ensure effective age verification; encourages collaboration between these Member States and the Commission to develop a strong and effective age verification tool at EU level, ensuring full respect for the technical specifications derived from the eIDAS 2 Regulation1a; | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 amending Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 as regards establishing the European Digital Identity Framework, (OJ L, 2024/1183, 30.4.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1183/oj). |
Or. en
Amendment 71
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 12 a. Recognises the role of helplines and hotlines in combating cyberbullying and supporting victims; stresses the importance of adequate funding and support at national and EU level; |
Or. en
Amendment 72
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 10
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Influencers and digital culture | Influencers and targeted advertising |
Or. en
Amendment 73
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph – 13 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Highlights concerns that many parents either lack effective tools to monitor and manage their children’s online activities or are unaware of the options available; points out that even when parental controls are applied, children can often bypass them; emphasises the need for these tools to be made simple, intuitive and accessible to parents; calls on platforms to assume greater responsibility in enhancing and promoting the effectiveness of parental control systems, and urges them to publish data on their performance; |
Or. en
Amendment 74
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13. Stresses the need for full transparency in influencer advertising that targets minors; underlines the importance of sponsorship disclosures and ethical standards for influencers targeting children, highlighting the risk of misleading marketing when advertisements are hidden as organic content; | 13. Underlines that the Digital Fairness Fitness Check 2024 reveals that only 20 % of influencers systematically indicate the commercial nature of the content they share; stresses the need to implement transparency measures for influencer advertising targeted at minors; underlines the importance of sponsorship disclosures and ethical standards for influencers targeting children, highlighting the risk of misleading marketing when advertisements are hidden as organic content; |
Or. en
Amendment 75
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 a. Draws attention to the need for stronger protection of minors against behavioural monitoring and influencing; recalls that the DSA prohibits targeted advertising based on profiling of minors on online platforms; points out, however, that this ban does not extend to other traders and digital services that may use personalised advertising; calls on the Commission to introduce equivalent obligations that apply to all traders; |
Or. en
Amendment 76
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 b. Highlights the fact that EU consumer law only partially addresses the issues posed by influencer marketing, and that the promotion by influencers of dangerous and risky financial products and of unhealthy food and beverages to minors as well as the harmful commercial practices involved in influencer marketing still persist; |
Or. en
Amendment 77
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 c (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 c. Stresses that pictures and videos of children as well as their identities are often exploited for commercial gain in ‘sharenting’ and ‘childfluencing’ practices without the child’s consent, leading to the violation of children’s rights to privacy, freedom of expression and safety; |
Or. en
Amendment 78
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 d (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 d. Urges the Commission to prohibit commercial practices involving the direct or indirect promotion by influencers of products, trends, challenges or behaviours that are harmful to minors, such as unscientifically proven or inappropriate diets and beauty routines that may contribute to eating disorders or self-harm, as well as gambling activities, including sports betting and prognostics; |
Or. en
Amendment 79
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 e (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 e. Calls on the Commission to update the EU rules in order to clarify the responsibilities of platforms and other actors in the value chain, such as the brands whose products or services are being promoted; |
Or. en
Amendment 80
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 f (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 f. Video games |
Or. en
Amendment 81
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 g (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 g. Voices its concern that video games are becoming an increasingly commercialised environment for minors, often involving the sale of virtual items, including chance-based rewards and gambling-like features such as loot boxes, as well as the use of in-game virtual currencies, which may obscure the true value of transactions and the actual cost of each purchase; calls on video game developers and vendors to ensure that games targeted towards minors protect minors as regards privacy, targeted advertising and manipulative practices; calls on the Commission to put forward an EU video game strategy that unlocks the economic, social, educational, cultural and innovative potential of this sector to enable it to become a leader in the global video game market; calls on the Commission to assess the possibility of requiring providers of online video games that are directed towards minors and young children to develop ex ante child impact assessments based on the 4Cs (‘content, contact, conduct, contract’) framework for classifying risk and to effectively mitigate any identified risks to minors’ rights; |
Or. en
Amendment 82
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 h (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 h. Points out that video games fall under the scope of the DSA when they qualify as an intermediary service or platform; stresses, however, that providers of video games that do not meet these criteria are not bound by the rules set out in the DSA; |
Or. en
Amendment 83
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 i (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 i. Emphasises that no EU legislation currently exists to specifically regulate features such as virtual items or in-game currencies; notes that some Member States have introduced national laws to further regulate gaming, resulting in market fragmentation that harms consumers and EU businesses alike; |
Or. en
Amendment 84
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 j (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 j. Points out that some game designs used for in-game purchases are manipulative and exploitative by design, as they use aggressive commercial practices that significantly impair the consumer’s freedom of choice and motivate them to make financial decisions that they would not have made otherwise; notes that such practices are clearly prohibited under Directive (EU) 2019/21611a; calls on video game developers and vendors to ensure that games targeted at minors respect minors’ and children’s rights, including as regards privacy, targeted advertising and manipulative practices; considers that minors and children, when playing online video games, should benefit from a level of protection equivalent to that provided under the DSA; | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a Directive (EU) 2019/2161 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 amending Council Directive 93/13/EEC and Directives 98/6/EC, 2005/29/EC and 2011/83/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the better enforcement and modernisation of Union consumer protection rules, (OJ L 328, 18.12.2019, p. 7, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/2161/oj). |
Or. en
Amendment 85
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 k (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 k. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act provides strong protection for minors who play video games, particularly by banning loot boxes, in-game currencies, pay-to-progress and pay-to-win mechanisms, as well as other forms of randomised content offered in exchange for real money in games accessible to minors; |
Or. en
Amendment 86
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 l (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 l. Urges the Commission and national consumer protection authorities within the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network to ensure that EU consumer law is fully respected and enforced in the video game sector; |
Or. en
Amendment 87
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 m (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 m. Stresses that some players struggle with video game addiction, also known as ‘gaming disorder’; notes that the World Health Organization has classified gaming disorder as a form of addiction characterised by impaired control over gaming, increased priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continued or escalated gaming despite negative consequences; calls for further collaboration among video game designers, publishers, platforms and the wider stakeholder community, including national competent authorities and the Commission, to help mitigate the risk of gaming disorders; suggests that more awareness-raising campaigns be launched to ensure that parents and young gamers are aware of the risks associated with gaming disorder and calls on game developers to avoid manipulative game designs that can lead to gaming addiction, isolation and cyberharassment; |
Or. en
Amendment 88
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 n (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 n. Calls on the Commission to put forward an EU video game strategy that unlocks the economic, social, educational, cultural and innovative potential of this sector to enable it to become a leader in the global video game market; calls on the Commission to either present a legislative proposal to adapt the current EU consumer law framework for online video games or to present a stand-alone legislative proposal on online video gaming to establish a harmonised EU regulatory framework that ensures a high level of consumer protection, in particular for minors; calls on the Commission to assess the possibility of requiring providers of online video games directed towards minors and children to develop ex ante child impact assessments based on the 4Cs (‘content, contact, conduct, contract’) framework for classifying risk and to effectively mitigate any identified risks to minors’ rights; |
Or. en
Amendment 89
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 o (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 o. Parental control |
Or. en
Amendment 90
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 p (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 p. Stresses that the DSA obliges online platforms to implement effective safeguards to protect vulnerable groups, including minors; notes that platforms accessible to minors may offer parental control measures to help parents and guardians shield children from harmful content; emphasises that the availability of such tools should not be used by platforms to shift their responsibility to protect minors online onto parents and guardians; |
Or. en
Amendment 91
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 q (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13 q. Expresses concern that parents often lack sufficient tools to monitor and manage minors’ online activities or are unaware of the options available; notes that even when parental control tools are in place, minors can easily bypass them; stresses the need for these tools to be user-friendly, intuitive and easily understandable by parents; urges platforms to take greater responsibility in enhancing and promoting the effectiveness of parental control systems, and calls on them to publish data on their performance; |
Or. en
Amendment 92
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 16 a. Urges the Member States to implement Article 7 of the AVMSD, obliging them to ensure, without undue delay, that services provided by media service providers under their jurisdiction are made continuously and progressively more accessible to persons with disabilities through proportionate measures; |
Or. en
Amendment 93
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 16 b. Stresses that persons with disabilities should be able to play all types of online video games and that both the technical and communicative features of online video games and any relevant information related to playing or purchasing the games must be made inclusive and accessible; calls on the Commission to present initiatives to improve the accessibility of online video games for persons with disabilities; encourages providers of online video games to make games accessible by applying the accessibility requirements laid down in Annex I of Directive (EU) 2019/8821a; | |
| _________________ | |
| 1a Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services, (OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, p. 70, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj). |
Or. en
Amendment 94
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 19 a. Calls on the Commission to properly enforce the DSA Article 28 guidelines on recommender systems and algorithmic transparency to prevent the creation of echo chambers, rabbit holes and harmful communities; |
Or. en
Amendment 95
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 19 b. Urges online platforms to have profiling-based algorithms turned off by default for children, to prioritise user-provided explicit signals for content personalisation, and to provide children with age-appropriate tools to control the content being recommended to them; |
Or. en
Amendment 96
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 20 a. Calls on the Commission to reinforce the work of the announced expert group on the protection of minors online, and to broaden its composition to ensure the inclusion of civil society in its discussions and deliberations; |
Or. en
ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT
Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she included in her opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that she received, in the preparation of the draft opinion , prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register1, or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:
| 1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register |
| DFA team in DG JUST |
| DG Connect |
| Youtube / Google |
| Meta |
| Tiktok |
| OpenAI |
| 5Rights Foundation |
| BEUC |
| Eurochild |
| Kids Unplugged |
| CNMC |
| DOT Europe |
| ARCOM |
| Arnau Carmona Feliu, PhD student and researcher PhD student and researcher |
| 2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies |
| . |
The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.
Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.