Minister for Culture and Media Nina Obulen-Korzek attended an international meeting on online child safety in Dublin. The meeting was held in the context of the Irish presidency of the Council of the European Union. Over two days, Thursday and Friday, participants discussed key challenges in the digital environment. At the centre of attention were the progress made in protecting minors, safety by design in digital services, and the need for stricter regulation of platforms.
The minister held a bilateral meeting with the Spanish Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Administration, Óscar López Águeda. During the meeting, they discussed the protection of children online, potential age restrictions for access to social media, as well as issues of media transparency. The Spanish minister presented his legislative initiatives, including a proposal to raise the minimum age for access to social media to 16 years. In addition, the Spanish Action Plan for Democracy was presented, which focuses on media transparency and the protection of the democratic information space.
In response to the aforementioned initiatives, the Croatian minister highlighted the importance of continuous exchange of experience, particularly in the context of the fight against disinformation. She stressed the complexity of the issue of age limits, noting that while the need to protect children is essential, the specific risks and needs of children must also be taken into account. She highlighted the importance of joint action at European level, particularly in the regulation of large technology companies, which is crucial for smaller member states.
The European Commission's executive vice-president, Henna Virkkunen, stressed that the digital world must adapt to the needs of children, not the other way around. She highlighted the responsibility of platforms for the safety and well-being of minors and the implementation of the Digital Services Act. The European Commission plans to present the Digital Markets Act by the end of 2026. Its adoption aims to strengthen the protection of consumers, particularly young people, and to combat unfair commercial practices in the digital environment.
Particular emphasis was placed on the inclusion of young people in decision-making processes. A panel on 'What children and young people think about online safety' was attended by young people aged 15 to 17. Their personal experiences and reflections prompted reflection on the balance between the benefits and risks of the digital environment. Young people stressed that protection should not be reduced to bans, but rather to age-appropriate solutions, safer platform design, and better digital literacy, alongside the genuine inclusion of children in decision-making that directly affects them.
