In an open letter, over 100 organisations and individuals appeal to decision-makers at European level to effectively address the protection of children and the fight against sexual abuse in the digital environment. The signatories urge Members of the European Parliament and Members of the European Council to ‘put children's online safety first and adopt effective, robust legislation to effectively combat sexualised violence against children and sexual exploitation across Europe.’ The letter points out that ‘Europe will remain a safe haven for perpetrators’ if robust regulations are not adopted. The organisations refer to the negotiations on the draft regulation on preventing and combating child sexual abuse, which have been ongoing for over three years and are currently in the political process between the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament (trilogue).
The open letter, which was also signed by the Digital Opportunities Foundation, can be read here.