The next European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) will take place in Brussels on 26 and 27 May. Under the theme “European Voices for the Future of the Internet – Celebrating 20 Years of .eu and the Beginning of a New Internet Governance Era”, representatives from the fields of politics, industry, civil society, academia and technology will come together to discuss current developments and network. The hybrid event is hosted by the European Commission, at whose premises the conference will take place, and EURid. Registrations for in-person attendance are open until 15 May, whilst for virtual attendance remains open until the beginning of the event.

The age assurance industry has its Oscars. In a posh ceremony hosted by BBC presenter Charlie Stayt, the first-ever Age Assurance Industry Awards recognized organizations and individuals changing the face of the sector, and creating the path for its continued evolution.

The European Union wants children and teenagers to have safe and positive experiences when using apps, websites, games and social media, so it is creating a new law called the Digital Fairness Act. To help shape this law, the EU wants to hear from children and teenagers aged 12 to 17 about their experiences as consumers, including how apps and websites treat them when they choose, use or pay for things online. Your views will help make the digital world fairer for everyone your age.

From 7 to 12 March, the multi-stakeholder community gathered at the ICANN 85 Community Forum in Mumbai (India). Together, they discussed current issues and developments relating to the security and further advancement of the Internet. From the perspective of the “Child Protection and Children’s Rights in the Digital World” project run by the Digital Opportunities Foundation, the focus was on efforts to develop and implement a human rights impact assessment, as well as on the upcoming decision-making process regarding the handling of urgent requests in the context of the Registration Data Request Service (RDRS). In addition, the drafting of a Policy Development Process (PDP) for dealing with DNS abuse was a key priority.

From 7 to 12 March, the multistakeholder community will meet in Mumbai, India, for the ICANN 85 Community Forum to discuss current issues and developments related to the security and advancement of the Internet. Among other things, the focus will be on the (continued) work on universal acceptance, the development and implementation of a human rights impact assessment (HRIA) within ICANN structures, and the use of the domain name system. Many bodies will also discuss further preparations for the new generic top-level domain (gTLD) program. An overview of the main topics of the event can be found here.

Today, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hosted the first meeting of the Special Panel on child safety online. The panel, announced in the 2025 State of the Union address, will provide expert recommendations to better protect and empower children online and will explore the need for potential harmonised age restrictions to access social media.

On the fifth anniversary of the adoption of General Comment No. 25 on children's rights in the digital environment, 53 organisations and signatories remind the States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child to realise children's rights on the internet and in digital services.

On Safer Internet Day 2026, the European Commission presented an action plan against cyberbullying to protect young people online. It is based on three pillars to protecting the mental health of children and young people online. Under this plan, the European Commission is committed to making more targeted use of existing programs and instruments to combat cyberbullying and invites all member states of the European Union to develop national action plans to support the cause jointly and equally, as well as to improve the data and knowledge base on the phenomenon.

Political intention to introduce age restrictions on social media is intensifying across Europe. Several European Union member states are advancing national initiatives, reflecting growing concerns about the impact of social media on minors. France, Denmark, Greece and Spain are among the countries that have announced or introduced measures to restrict social media use by under-18s. - At the European supranational level, the debate is also gaining momentum. The European Union has set up a panel of child protection experts to advise on possible EU-wide age restrictions, with recommendations expected by the end of the summer.

On Monday Feb. 9th, 2026, ahead of Safer Internet Day the Lisbon Council invited a group of experts to discuss what scientific evidence and practice teach us about children and social media. In the light of the Australian experiment on banning under 16th from a certain selection of social media platforms governments around the globe are rushing to decide whether to follow the same path or find a different approach.

From now until February 28, 2026, 23:59 (UTC), it is possible to submit thematic contributions that are to be given priority consideration at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2026. Organisations and individuals can use a form to select topics that they feel are currently relevant to internet governance.

Young people with an interest in digital issues are sought for YOUthDIG, which will take place in Brussels from May 23 to 27. In preliminary webinars, participants will address practical issues of internet governance and provide input for EuroDIG.