Digital Fairness Act Digital Services Act Minors online Published 03 June 2026

Beyond the Ban: What can really protect children’s safety and rights online?

A ban alone will not keep children safe online. This paper calls for enforcing existing EU rules, making safe-by-design the legal default, ending manipulative design and behavioural advertising for children, tailoring protections to children’s evolving capacities, involving children in shaping the rules, and using age verification as a tool, not a silver bullet.

Type

Position paper

Topics

Minors' protection online

Markets

BE · IT · ES · PT · PL

Download the full paper

PDF · 0.42 MB · English

Campaign & coverage

The articles this paper powers.

Policy in action

Defending it in public.

We represent consumer interests in discussions with policymakers and key market stakeholders.

Who wrote this

Talk to the policy team.

Working on a policy issue, drafting a consultation, or writing about one of our positions? Get in touch with our Brussels-based policy team.

Els Bruggeman

Els Bruggeman

Group Manager Advocacy, Enforcement & Communication

Els Bruggeman

Olivia Brown

Policy Officer

Els Bruggeman

Oana Matei

Policy & Legal Officer

Looking for a different file? Every position paper and statement we have published is listed on the Policy page, searchable by topic.

All positions