1. Developing an EU
2020 strategy to
make a better
internet for children
Patricia Manson
Head of Unit
European
Commission

2. Overview of presentation
• Why a strategy now?
• Our starting premises
• What it covers
• Taking it forward
• Stakeholders
• Funding

3. Why a strategy now?
• Key factors
• Children going online ever younger & on the move
• Multiplicity of connected devices – smart phones,
tablets, games consoles, PCs, TVs etc
• Children are a market for these devices
• Digital single market – opportunity to provide new
services and content for children
• Emerging (and maybe disparate) initiatives
• Growing political interest – education and skills,
protection, cyber security
• Rapidity (and unpredictability) of change
• Lack of joined-up approach that recognises
children as group with specific needs

4. Our starting points
• Strengthen opportunities for business
• counter possible fragmentation of the market
arising from different (co)regulatory approaches
and codes eg parental controls, content
classification, illegal content
• Improve conditions and market for digital content
for children – leveraging production of content,
creating user-confidence and trust
• Strengthen opportunities for children
• Support digital literacy and competence – 21st
century skills
• Encourage creativity – make the Internet a place
to learn and play

5. Our starting points
• Mitigate risks and support user confidence
• Continue to support protection measures for
access to harmful content and contact
• Manage (new) behavioural risks
• Continue to fight against illegal content,
especially child pornography

6. Developing the strategy
• Acknowledges that children are a group of
internet users with specific needs
• Combines and coordinates a series of instruments
(regulation, self-regulation, financial support) for
making a better internet for children
• Addresses all stakeholders
• Commission
• Member States
• Industry, NGOs
• Strong emphasis on self-regulation – but
legislative action not ruled out if needed

7. Actions around 4 pillars
1. High quality content online for children
and young people
2. Stepping up awareness and
empowerment
3. Creating a safe environment for children
online
4. Fighting against child sexual abuse and
child sexual exploitation

8. Pillar 1 - High quality content online for children and
young people
Includes actions to:
• Stimulate the production of creative and
educational content for children
• Promote positive online experiences for young
children

9. Pillar 2 – Stepping up awareness and empowerment
Includes actions to:
• Promote digital and media literacy and teaching
online safety in schools
• Scale up awareness activities and youth
participation
• Offer simple and robust reporting tools for users

10. Pillar 3 – Creating a safe environment for children
online
Includes actions to:
• Provide age-appropriate privacy settings
• Provide a wider availability and use of parental
controls
• Provide a wider use of age rating and content
classification
• Avoid overspending and inappropriate advertising
to children online

11. Pillar 4 – Fighting agains child sexual abuse and child
sexual exploitation
Includes actions for:
• A faster and systematic identification of child
sexual abuse material disseminated online,
notification and takedown of this material
• Reinforcing international cooperation in the field

12. Taking the strategy forward
• Relies on industry, Commission and Member States
• Priority given to self-regulation – building on the CEO
Coalition actions
• Robust reporting mechanisms
• Age-appropriate privacy settings
• Content classification
• Parental control tools
• Take-down of child pornography
• Continuing to work with industry initiatives –
delivering measures to monitor and review
• Member States – scale up their support awareness,
operationalise eSafety education

13. Taking the strategy forward
• Commission
• Financial support – through the Safer Internet
Programme
• Connecting Europe Facility – safer internet proposed as
one of the digital services
• Horizon 2020 (from 2014)
• Work with current relevant legislation in force
(Directive on combating sexual abuse, Data Protection, eCommerce
Directive etc)
• Envisages further legislation if necessary

14. Today and the immediate future
• Communication on a better internet for children: Adopted:
02 May
• Text available on Safer Internet Programme
website at: http://ec.europa.eu/saferinternet
• European Parliament own initiative report – Mrs Costa
• EESC committee report
• From INFSO to ConNECT – brings together inclusion, skills
and youth, with learning as the core driver.
• CEF – Council Working Groups and EP - ensure the Safer
Internet Services Infrastructure is understood by these
decision makers

15. Thank you for your attention