Dimitris Tsiodras, a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), took part in a three-member European People’s Party mission to San Francisco aimed at strengthening the protection of minors online.
As part of the mission, meetings were held with representatives of leading technology companies, including Apple, Meta, Google, Pinterest, Persona and Roblox, academics from Stanford University and civil society representatives, including Common Sense Media.
Discussions focused on the European Commission’s proposal to protect minors online (EU KIDS Act) and the important role of national initiatives, such as the Greek law banning social media use by children under 15, in creating a safer digital environment for children and young people.
Particular emphasis was placed on the responsibility of major digital platforms to address the risks children face online and on social media, such as exposure to illegal or harmful content and the design of digital services in ways that encourage excessive use or addiction. Discussions also highlighted the need for reliable age-verification methods for access to social media, using only the personal data strictly necessary.
Dimitris Tsiodras and the other members of the mission also met with officials from the European Union’s office in San Francisco. They discussed developments and the differing approaches emerging in the United States to an issue that is increasingly concerning governments, institutions and societies around the world.