Skip to content

← Decision 4 Decision 6 →

5 Resolutions & reports ·decision 5 of 10 on Thursday, 17 September 2026

Impact of social media and the online environment on young people

Committee report by Sandro Ruotolo · voted 13:21–13:23

Non-binding texts in which Parliament states its position on a topic. They carry political weight but do not create law.

Adopted by a large majority 395 for · 136 against · 80 abstained (65 % in favour) Digital, AI & dataChildren onlineOnline platforms & contentData protection & privacy
The vote✦ In shortFull textProcedure

What Parliament decided

Adopted Adopted by a large majority

Parliament adopted the text as its official position.

For 395 Against 136 Abstained 80

Final vote — text as a whole at 13:23 · 65% of votes cast in favour · every MEP’s position →

Who backed it
  • The Left ✓
  • Verts/ALE ✓
  • S&D ✓
  • Renew ✓
  • PPE ✓
  • ECR ✗
  • PfE –
  • ESN ✗
  • NI ✗

Backed by The Left, Verts/ALE, S&D, Renew and PPE; opposed by ECR and ESN; PfE mostly abstained.

✦ What this vote decides · AI summary, based on the text voted on

Parliament adopted a resolution on the impact of social media and the online environment on young people, setting out its position on how digital platforms affect children and young adults. The text calls for a comprehensive European strategy that combines safety by design, algorithmic transparency, privacy-respecting age assurance, digital education and stronger enforcement across existing EU rules. It asks the Commission to assess how well current initiatives work and to keep EU action in step with the changing digital environment.

How the vote unfolded · 13 ballots

Before the final vote, MEPs decided on 12 parts of the text voted on separately (8 adopted, 4 rejected).

Roll calls requested by Renew, Members (A) · split votes by Members (B) (3), Members (A).

adopted rejected lapsed square = amendment circle = part of the text decisive vote Solid = roll call (click for every MEP’s vote); faded = no individual positions

All 13 ballots in voting order
1. Separate vote on paragraph 1
— no individual positions recorded
Rejected
2. Vote on text inserted after paragraph 1
— no individual positions recorded
Rejected
3. Paragraph 63 — part 1 of 2 Part 1: ‘Welcomes the favourable consideration expressed by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding the introduction of a harmonised, EU-wide minimum age limit for access to social media (a minimum digital age);’ requested by Members (A)
— no individual positions recorded
Adopted
4. Paragraph 63 — part 2 of 2 Part 2: ‘takes note of the initiatives already undertaken by certain Member States, in this regard;’ requested by Members (A)
— no individual positions recorded
Adopted
5. Paragraph 63 — part 3 13:21 A10-0220/2026 – Sandro Ruotolo – § 63/3 Part 3: ‘stresses the need for a harmonised EU approach to establishing a minimum digital age and, in this context, welcomes the conclusions of the Commission’s special panel of experts on child safety online, which provides guidance on this matter; welcomes, furthermore, the announcement made by President von der Leyen about a legislative proposal on the matter;’ requested by Members (A)
Adopted
6. Separate vote on paragraph 69
— no individual positions recorded
Rejected
7. Paragraph 78 — part 1 of 2 Part 1: “Text as a whole without the words: ‘including by gender and age, as well as, where appropriate, by racial or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, sex characteristics and disability,’” requested by Members (B)
— no individual positions recorded
Adopted
8. Paragraph 78 — part 2 of 2 Part 2: “those words” requested by Members (B)
electronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded
Rejected
9. Paragraph 85 — part 1 13:22 A10-0220/2026 – Sandro Ruotolo – § 85/1 Part 1: “Text as a whole without the words: ‘and rights’” requested by Members (B) requested by Renew
Adopted
10. Paragraph 85 — part 2 13:22 A10-0220/2026 – Sandro Ruotolo – § 85/2 Part 2: “those words” requested by Members (B) requested by Renew
Adopted
11. Recital AD — part 1 13:22 A10-0220/2026 – Sandro Ruotolo – Recital AD/1 Part 1: “Text as a whole without the words: ‘, including age-appropriate sexual education,’” requested by Members (B)
Adopted
12. Recital AD — part 2 13:23 A10-0220/2026 – Sandro Ruotolo – Recital AD/2 Part 2: “those words” requested by Members (B)
Adopted
13. Final vote — text as a whole 13:23 A10-0220/2026 – Sandro Ruotolo – Motion for a resolution (as a whole)
Adopted

Part of the sitting of Thursday, 17 September 2026. The vote was taken on Report A-10-2026-0220 in procedure 2025/2081.

New here? How plenary voting works
A sitting
One day of voting in plenary. Each subject is a report, resolution, agreement or objection; they are grouped by kind of decision, and each group says what “adopted” means there.
The ballots
Members vote on amendments and on parts of the text first, then on the text as a whole. That final, decisive vote is the result shown at the top of each subject.
Who voted how
Only roll-call votes record each Member’s vote — open one for every name and the breakdown by group. A show of hands records the outcome only.
Document & procedure
Each subject rests on a document (a committee report, a motion, a Council or Commission text) and belongs to a procedure, the whole file that can span years.
Group badges
How most of a group voted: ✓ For · ✗ Against · – Abstained · ~ Split (no majority).

Codes in ballot labels

  • Am 27 — amendment 27
  • § 5 — paragraph 5
  • § 5/2, part 2 — a , taken in parts
  • Am 3= 7= — identical amendments voted together
  • ***I — ; *** — ; * —
  • Lapsed —
  • A10-… — committee report; B10-… — motion
  • RC-B10-… — joint motion of several groups

All the terms used on this site