Cybercrime, disinformation, cyberbullying... Meeting in Council on Monday 12 May, European ministers responsible for youth were invited to discuss the harmful effects of digital technology on the lives of young people. For the Polish Presidency, this issue is fully in line with its watchword: security.
“Security is not only military, but also resilience”, said Polish minister Barbara Nowacka, considering that protecting young people’s resilience also means “providing them with the skills to fight disinformation”.
While the educational benefits of digital technologies have been recognised by all Member States, the parallel risks to democracy, mental health and the safety of young citizens have highlighted the urgent need for action.
This urgency, which was also highlighted by the European Commissioner for Youth, Glenn Micallef, at the concluding press conference, should, in his words, “help increase critical and informed use of digital tools”.
To achieve this, ministers recognised the need to involve young people. Cyprus called for “active involvement at every stage of the process”, while France called for “young people to be involved in discussions on digital issues”.
The protean nature of the threats also calls for the mobilisation of a range of players to ensure a holistic approach.
In the front line are parents and teachers, who, like the children, must be involved “in all projects”, as Germany put it. Education plays a central role in “better equipping young people” in training to counter disinformation, learning to read digital content and understanding the media.
In addition, the scientific community has been called upon to provide expertise and contribute to awareness-raising campaigns. Italy has gone even further, calling for a multidisciplinary approach to these issues and involving the ministers responsible for youth, education and research, as well as the interior ministry, which is responsible for cybercrime.
During their speeches, Member State representatives also reported on best practice at national level. The Spanish Secretary of State, Rubén Pérez Correa, detailed the implementation of a strategy that would take account of children’s rights in the digital environment. Luxembourg’s minister, Claude Meisch, set out a national ‘Be secure’ initiative, based on four pillars (targeted awareness-raising, a teaching and training team for teachers, a platform for anonymous reporting of cyberbullying and preventive measures to combat radicalisation).
These examples were put forward to resonate at a European level, with a large number of speakers affirming their desire to establish common measures and to integrate them into the European Union’s youth strategy in particular.
Member States also called for a common approach to making platforms accountable, within the framework of the DSA. Above all, several delegations, including France, the Netherlands and Spain, supported the establishment of minimum age controls for access to social networks. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)