2025-07-14 - The EU Sets New Standards for Children's Digital Safety
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TODAY (July 14, 2025), the European Commission officially published its comprehensive Guidelines on the Protection of Minors under Article 28 of the Digital Services Act (DSA). This landmark 64-page framework will reshape how platforms protect children across Europe.
Core Framework - The “5Cs” Risk Assessment: The guidelines mandate that platforms assess risks across five categories: Content, Conduct, Contact, Consumer, and Cross-cutting risks, encompassing exposure to harmful content, AI chatbot vulnerabilities, and excessive spending patterns.
Key Requirements for Platforms:
- Mandatory Privacy by Default: Children’s accounts are automatically set to higher privacy levels with geolocation, camera access, and “likes” counters turned OFF by default
- Robust Age Assurance: Self-declaration is explicitly deemed insufficient. Platforms must implement age verification for 18+ content using government-issued IDs or the upcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet
- AI Safeguards: AI chatbots cannot be prominent, must carry clear warnings, and cannot nudge children toward commercial content
- Algorithmic Transparency: Recommender systems must prioritize explicit user signals over behavioral tracking and offer non-profiling options
- Commercial Protection: Strict limits on advertising to minors, prohibition of virtual currencies that mask real costs, and mandatory friction between content and purchases.
Innovation Highlights:
- EU Age Verification App: Privacy-preserving solution launching before 2026
- Double-blind verification: Platforms don’t see user identity; verification providers don’t see which services are accessed
- Child participation mandate: Platforms must meaningfully involve children in design decisions
Compliance Impact: These guidelines apply to ALL platforms accessible to minors (except micro/small enterprises) and serve as the Commission’s benchmark for DSA enforcement. The first review is scheduled within 12 months to adapt to technological developments.
Bottom Line: This isn’t just regulatory compliance - it’s a fundamental shift toward “safety by design” that recognizes children’s evolving capacities while prioritizing their best interests as a primary consideration.
For platform operators: The era of self-regulation is over. These guidelines provide a clear roadmap; however, implementation will require significant technical and policy adjustments.
The full 64-page guidelines document is available here:
https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/dae/redirection/document/118226
Source:
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/commission-publishes-guidelines-protection-minors
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