Although children and young people make up about one third of internet users worldwide, their perspectives are still rarely taken into account in technology-related policies, design processes, and decision-making structures. To counter this, the authors Sonia Livingstone and Kruakae Pothong argue that a tool such as the “Child Rights Impact Assessment Tool” can serve as a practical instrument for integrating children’s rights more comprehensively, early on, and systematically into political and administrative decision-making processes.

The study, published in September 2025, presents findings from research on harmful sexual behavior among minors and provides information on prevention strategies.

EU digital ministers meeting in Horsens, Denmark, under the leadership of Danish Digital Minister Caroline Stage, agreed on stronger protection for minors on the internet. In the presence of EU Vice President Henna Virkkunen, the majority of ministers spoke out in favor of protecting minors on the internet. Together, they adopted the Jutland Declaration for a safe digital environment for children and young people.

The article highlights the most important arguments and summarizes the key policy demands of the Eurochild position paper “Protecting children online without silencing them.”

An open letter to the German Chancellor addresses the task of protecting children's rights in the digital environment.

On 10 September, the Internet Governance Forum Germany (IGF-D) met in Berlin to discuss current issues and developments in the governance and regulation of the internet. Under this year's motto, ‘Trust, Responsibility, Networking: Internet Governance in Uncertain Times,’ representatives from the fields of politics, business, technology, civil society, science and research, as well as youth, met in their national structure (NRI)to reflect on relevant aspects from a German perspective.

18 organizations and experts, including members of the European Parliament (MEP) and the EP Intergroup on Children's Rights, have jointly addressed an open letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on the occasion of the State of Union speech. In the letter, they call for a renewal and strengthening of the commitment to protecting and enforcing children's rights through the effective implementation of EU regulations in the digital sphere by the European Commission.

Starting in autumn 2025, an expert commission will examine the steps necessary for effective protection of children and young people in the media. Federal Youth Minister Karin Prien presented the commission's members, objectives and working methods at a federal press conference.

The European Union is currently developing an action plan against cyberbullying, which will include concrete measures for adults, educational institutions, and online platforms. The aim is to better protect, support, and empower children and young people in the digital space.

The impact of social media on the mental health of children and adolescents is a growing concern for society. In a discussion paper published in July 2025, the German National Academy of Sciences (Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina e.V.) described the current situation as part of a „global mental health crisis“ affecting young people. The paper set out concrete recommendations for action to address this challenge.