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Virtual worlds – opportunities, risks and policy implications for the single market

TA-9-2024-0032 · P9_TA(2024)0032 · PE751.902

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 28 Sept 2026

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Parliament's resolution on virtual worlds sets out its position on how the EU should approach Web 4.0 and virtual worlds. It welcomes the Commission's July 2023 communication and calls for a sustainable, human-centric strategy that protects EU values. It asks the Commission to check regularly that existing digital laws cover virtual worlds, to report every two years, and to propose legislation where needed. It wants open standards, interoperability and a level playing field for EU businesses, especially SMEs. It calls for strong protection of users' personal data and privacy, attention to addictive design and dark patterns, and special safeguards for minors, including age-appropriate design and parental controls. It stresses accessibility for people with disabilities, digital literacy and affordable internet for all, and the need to consider the environmental impact of virtual worlds and the devices and infrastructure they require.

Key points

  1. Welcomes the Commission communication of 11 July 2023 on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds and says any strategy must be sustainable and human-centric while protecting EU values.
  2. Notes the lack of a universally agreed definition of virtual worlds, which hampers policy coordination, and calls for clear distinctions between digital instruments based on research and technical specificities.
  3. Says a clear, comprehensive regulatory framework is vital, and asks the Commission to check regularly whether the digital single market framework is adequate and consistent, making the results public.
  4. Invites the Commission to draft a report every two years for Parliament and the Council, paying attention to problems such as disinformation, illegal content, cybercrime, data misuse and addictive design.
  5. Points to the economic potential of virtual worlds and the need for investment in infrastructure, research, innovation and re- and up-skilling, with costs aiming to have a neutral impact on consumer prices.
  6. Signals potential new jobs in areas such as virtual world architecture and content creation, and stresses investment in reskilling, especially for under-represented groups, and in retaining and attracting EU talent.
  7. Emphasises that the EU should lead in shaping virtual worlds that respect EU values, fundamental rights and consumer protection, and foster a level playing field for European SMEs and competitive companies.
  8. Underlines the need for international dialogue with like-minded non-EU countries and for raising citizens' awareness about responsible use of virtual worlds.
  9. Says interoperability and open standards can help prevent quasi-monopolies or abuses of dominant position, and welcomes Commission engagement with multi-stakeholder internet governance institutions.
  10. Calls for virtual worlds to be open, inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities, and asks the Commission to monitor the fitness of the European Accessibility Act and Web Accessibility Directive.
  11. Calls for protection of users' personal data and privacy, attention to sensitive data such as biometric and behavioural data, and consideration of a right to permanent deletion of data and profiles.
  12. Warns of health issues such as addiction, cyber sickness and sleep disturbances, stresses the vulnerability of minors, and calls for age-appropriate design, parental controls and research on cognitive and behavioural impacts.

Who is affected

  • Consumers, especially minors, the elderly and people with disabilities, who face risks to health, data protection and accessibility.
  • European small and medium-sized enterprises and businesses, for which a level playing field and open standards are sought.
  • The Commission, which is asked to monitor, report every two years and propose legislation where needed.
  • Workers and the existing workforce, for whom reskilling and labour rights protection are stressed.
  • People in rural, remote and outermost regions and lower-income households, who risk exclusion without affordable internet and digital literacy.

Figures and deadlines

  • 46 % of Europeans are affected by the digital divide.
  • One in 10 women have experienced some form of cyber violence since the age of 15, according to the European Institute for Gender Equality.
  • The European Court of Auditors estimated the total cost of deploying 5G in all EU Member States at between 281 and 391 billion euros by 2025.
  • Electricity consumption by large data centres currently accounts for 1-1,5 % of global electricity use, according to the International Energy Agency.