• Topic

    Civil rights and freedoms

    The digital environment provides unique opportunities for children to realize the right to access to information and freedom of expression. The digital environment can enable children to form their social, religious, cultural, ethnic, sexual and political identities and to participate in associated communities and in public spaces for deliberation, cultural exchange, social cohesion and diversity.

    The fulfilment of these rights must be ensured and the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion in the digital environment must be respected. Privacy is vital to children’s agency, dignity and safety and for the exercise of their rights.

    Children’s personal data are processed to offer educational, health and other benefits to them. Therefore, it must be ensured by legislative, administrative and other measures that children’s privacy is respected and protected by all organizations and in all environments that process their data.

    By use of digital identification systems that enable all newborn children to have their birth registered and officially recognized by the national authorities, access to services, including health, education and welfare shall be facilitated.

Current News

[Translate to Englisch:] Ansicht: EuroDIG 2025: Aufruf zur Programmgestaltung

EuroDIG: Comments on the draft programme

The next European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) will take place from 17 to 19 June in Vilnius (Lithuania). In order to facilitate the joint exchange and networking of representatives from politics, private sector, civil society and academia, a planning meeting was held on 6 February, at which the previously submitted issues were reviewed and a proposal for a programme was drawn up.

[Translate to Englisch:] Ansicht: Bewerbung zum YOUthDIG

Application for YOUthDIG

This year's European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) will take place in Vilnius (Lithuania) from 17 to 19 June.

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Consultation on the IGF framework paper

The 18th Internet Governance Forum (IGF) took place in Kyoto (Japan) in October 2023. Under the motto "The Internet we want - empowering all people", over 9,000 representatives from politics, business, academia and civil society discussed how to further shape the Internet and digital applications.

[Translate to Englisch:] Ansicht: Kinderschutz vor sexueller Gewalt dauerhaft verwirklichen

Consultation on combating sexual abuse of children

The legislative process on the European Commission's draft on preventing and combating child sexual abuse is still ongoing.

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IGF 2024: Participation in determining the thematic focus

Suggestions and proposals for the theme of this year's Internet Governance Forum (IGF) can still be submitted until 31 January.

[Translate to Englisch:] Ansicht: Safer Internet Forum 2023: Wie befähigt man junge Menschen für das digitale Jahrzehnt

Safer Internet Forum 2023: Empowering Youth with skills for the digital decade

On Thursday Nov. 23rd the EC held the Safer Internet Forum 2023 in Brussels with about 150 people taking part onsite, and nearly the same number of attendants populating the digital space. The program circled around challenges arising from digital services and new technologies and strategies for enabling young people and children to cope.

Ansicht: Was ist das Gesetz über digitale Dienste (Digital Services Act - DSA)?

The Digital Services Act (DSA) explained

This booklet explains in simple terms what the DSA has introduced to protect children and young people under the age of 18.

[Translate to Englisch:] Ansicht: COSPRA2023: Gemeinsam Kinder schützen

COSPRA2023: Protecting children together

This year's COSPRA Summit of the Ndukwe Kalu Foundation took place on 23 November in Abuja, Nigeria.

[Translate to Englisch:] Ansicht: Stellungnahme zum Jugendmedienschutz-Staatsvertrag

Consultation on the Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in Broadcasting and in Telemedia

In spring 2022, the federal states initiated a reform of the Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in Broadcasting and in Telemedia and submitted their proposal for a new version for discussion.

[Translate to Englisch:] Ansicht: Schieb deine Verantwortung nicht weg

Don't push away your responsibility

After the "Don't push your thoughts away" campaign launched in November 2022 reached 21 million people online and 18 million via TV, the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) and the Independent Commissioner for Child Sexual Abuse Issues (UBSKM) presented its sequel in a Berlin cinema on 13 November.