The Commission has launched several investigations into the protection of children online.
Online platforms will receive specific guidelines under the Digital Services Act (DSA) on protection of minors in the second quarter of 2025, a European Commission spokesperson told ‘Euronews’.
The measure comes after the Commission launched several investigations under the DSA to check whether the measures of online platforms to protect minors online comply with the regulations.
Preparatory work has begun within the Digital Services Councilwhich brings together all DSA regulators in the Member States. These monthly meetings began last February with the objective of rationalizing application priorities: protection of minors online is an area of focus for the EU executive under platform rules.
It will be the second set of principles to be published under the DSA, after the Commission already published electoral guidelines before the June vote in the EU to help the large online platforms and search engines to mitigate risks that affect the integrity of elections and their services.
Research on Meta and TikTok
The Commission began investigate goal in May, focusing on the design of the online interfaces of Facebook and Instagram, which could “exploit the weaknesses and inexperience of minors and provoke addictive behavior“, according to the community Executive.
In April he opened a similar research on TIkTok after the social media platform launched its TikTok Lite app in France and Spain. The Community Executive questioned the video-sharing application about its possible impact on the mental health of users, particularly in relation to the possible stimulation of addictive behaviors. In response, TikTok said that for the time being it will voluntarily stop the rollout of Lite.
John Evans, digital services commissioner at Irish media regulator Coimisiún na Meán, told Euronews in March that several working groups are preparing issues that could require further action under the DSA Board.
“[La atención se centra en] thematic issues, such as elections and the protection of minors. “A big question is what is the best way to cooperate and to resolve the regulatory landscape,” she said.
Ireland is at the forefront of DSA implementation, after strict platform rules, including transparency and electoral integrity requirements, began to apply to all online platforms on February 17. Dublin is home to 13 of the 23 very large online platforms (VLOPs) and search engines designated so far by the Commission, including Google, TikTok, Meta and fashion website Shein.
Electoral guidelines
The DSA election guidelines, published in March, were subjected to a voluntary stress test by the platforms.
A Commission spokesperson then told Euronews that the aim of the exercise is “for all stakeholders to get to know each other better, understand their respective roles and responsibilities, their interdependencies and continue to foster a collaborative mentality, as envisaged by the DSA.” and electoral guidelines”.
The first investigation under the DSA, formally launched in December in X, still waiting for a result.
