Brussels, 22/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - Surfing the web is becoming a habit for our children, who therefore need stronger protection, explained the European Parliament in a resolution voted on 20 November. MEPs emphasise that EU member states should step up their efforts, through law, cooperation, or sharing good practices, to combat illegal or harmful content and ensure that online resources can be used with less risk.
“We sought to weigh up the fundamental rights of minors in the digital world - the rights to access, instruction and protection - and to protect their right, as 'digital citizens', under a new form of governance, to develop their interests as persons and European citizens”, explained rapporteur Silvia Costa (S&D, IT) during the plenary debate.
The online habits of young Europeans expose them to new online risks of fraud, solicitations that diminish the perception of offence to their own or others' dignity (cyber bullying and grooming), child pornography and harassment - sometimes extended into real life. MEPs recommend that institutional players and internet service suppliers step up EU-wide coordination of hotlines and other contact points and stress the need to step up cooperation with third countries so that harmful content hosted on their territory can be removed quickly. The Parliament also backs recourse to technologies designed to prevent children from accessing content inappropriate to their age, such as parental control tools or age verification systems. (IL/transl.fl)