Protection of persons under 18 online: Arcom welcomes adoption of European Commission guidelines
Arcom welcomes the European Commission's adoption of guidelines for the protection of persons under 18 online.
The guidelines specify the measures expected of platforms (social networks, video-sharing platforms in particular) to comply with the requirements of the European Digital Services Act (RSN).
In many respects, the guidelines follow the notices issued by Arcom, and set high standards, particularly for the design and functionality of online services. The structural measures thus expected of platforms are likely to significantly improve the protection of persons under 18 online throughout Europe.
Arcom particularly welcomes the unequivocal affirmation of the obligation for adult platforms (including pornographic sites) to effectively verify the age of their users throughout the European Union. The European Commission has thus adopted a level of requirement equivalent to that of the Arcom standard, ensuring a high level of privacy protection and effective age verification, notably through the use of an independent third party.
Arcom is also pleased that the Commission has taken on board its suggestion to protect person under 18s from commercial communications (including those by influencers) for adult-only content, such as gaming or pornography.
The guidelines also take up several suggestions made back in September 2024 by the Authority in response to the new challenges raised by online platforms that legally welcome youngsters:
- Protective default settings for persons under 18, both in terms of content and functionality;
- Default notice schemes with settings that are transparent, easy to understand and protective of persons under 18;
- Deactivation of automatic video playback and infinite scrolling ;
- Better information and protection for users when using ( " chatbots ") conversational agents based on artificial intelligence;
- Easy-to-use parental control tools, and encouragement to make them interoperable in the future.
Arcom intends to act decisively on the basis of these guidelines to strengthen the protection of person under 18 online, in addition to the actions already undertaken on the basis of national law and the will expressed by the Government, and supported by several Member States, concerning the establishment of a digital majority.
It calls on the European Commission to propose to theDSA Boarda rapid action plan focusing on the platforms most at risk for persons under 18, whether they fall within the competence of national regulators or that of the European Commission.
Arcom's contribution to the public consultation on the guidelines for the protection of persons under 18 (in English and French).