The MEPs requested a safe internet for children with their resolution on Thursday.
According to the EU Kids Online 2020 survey, 23% of children between the ages of 9 and 16 have been bullied online, however during the lockdown for Covid-19, according to a recent EU study involving 11 EU countries, 49% of children between 10 and 18 experienced at least one form of online aggression.
In the resolution MEPs call on the EU to keep children safe online, to prevent online bullying and sexual abuse of children, including so-called online grooming.
In the text approved, MEPs state that online hate, online bullying, sexual content, violent images, content that promotes eating disorders and misinformation are among the risks to children's mental and physical health. These can cause increased aggression, problematic sexual behaviors, unhealthy eating habits, and altered values and behaviors.
MEPs call for targeted measures to protect children with disabilities and children from disadvantaged backgrounds and to include digital skills and competences as a compulsory school curriculum across the EU.
Parents and caregivers should, they say, be educated about online safety, parental controls and how to recognize and report online grooming.
According to MEPs the EU needs a dedicated strategy against bullying and cyberbullying in schools and member states should invest in protection against cyberbullying.
The new European strategy for a "Better Internet for Children", adopted in May 2022, has three pillars: safe digital experiences that seek to protect children from harmful and illegal online content, empowerment or digital literacy so that children can they can make informed choices and promote active participation, giving children a say in the digital environment.
