The protection of children against online violence

Recommendation 2274 (2024)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 19 April 2024 (14th sitting) (see Doc. 15954, report of Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development, rapporteur: Mr Joseph O'Reilly). Text adopted by the Assembly on 19 April 2024 (14th sitting).

1. The Parliamentary Assembly refers to its Resolution 2547 (2024) “The protection of children against online violence”. It invites the Committee of Ministers to give due consideration in its work to the dangers posed by the internet to children, who are more exposed to violence and new forms of violence in the online environment, in particular by:

1.1 considering and incorporating the best interests of the child in the Council of Europe’s draft framework convention on artificial intelligence, human rights, democracy and the rule of law, including the protection of children’s human rights from the dangers of artificial intelligence;

1.2 taking online violence into account in its feasibility study on comprehensive, age-appropriate sexuality education;

1.3 strengthening international co-operation with appropriate organisations, including the European Commission and relevant European Union agencies such as Europol and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, and Interpol, with a view to focusing attention on the protection of children’s human rights and the best interests of the child.

2. The Assembly calls on the Committee of Ministers to strengthen co-operation with digital industry stakeholders in order to find adaptable and sustainable solutions to protect children from online violence, including by:

2.1 as a first step, assessing the reliability of age-verification tools, depending on the content and the age of child users;

2.2 providing children and parents with tools to raise awareness of the dangers of the internet;

2.3 making online tools available to enable easy reporting of incidents of online violence and providing help and support, particularly psychological care, to child victims.