Today is Safer Internet Day!

And it is becoming more important each year.

Why?

Because a big part of our future will be digital.

Because, around the world,

children are going online earlier and staying online for longer.

Between 2010 and 2020,

the time children spend online almost doubled in many countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to steep rise in children’s screen time,

with European children spending an estimated 6 to 7.5 hours per day online.

Recent research shows that the majority of children with smartphones

report that they use them “almost all the time” to connect,

especially on social media.

The internet brings a world of opportunities:

children are using the internet for a range of activities:

to seek information and opportunities;

networking with friends, families and others;

and many mobilise to advocate for climate change and human rights.

And of course, also for entertainment and fun.

By now we all recognise that children’s online activities

support their overall social and mental development

and prepare them to grow and thrive in an increasingly digital world.

The benefits of this profound shift are clear –

expanding access to education, entertainment, and opportunity.

But so are the risks that come with it.

Everyone has a stake in this.

That is why policymakers, industry leaders, educators,

parents, and children and also young people are coming together

to discuss and plan concretely

how we can make the internet a better place for children.

Safety is key:

we are working to ensure that children are protected online.

That no one is bullied, harassed, sexually abused or exploited online.

Empowerment is key:

we consult children and their key priorities,

their needs for a safe internet, where they feel comfortable online,

have a say and participate!

Inclusion and equality are key:

while the internet knows no borders,

millions of children inside and outside the European Union

still lack access to the benefits of the internet.

Narrowing the digital divide is central to our policy actions.

To address all these challenges,

we are working, together with my colleague Commissioner Thierry Breton,

on the implementation of our new Better Internet for Kids Strategy,

the digital arm of the EU’s Strategy on the Rights of the Child.

We will develop a Code of Conduct

for the age-appropriate design of digital products and services

and will involve children in the development process.

We will also promote age verification tools

and help countries exchange good practices for media literacy education.

We will strengthen our Safer Internet Centres

to ensure that as many children as possible

will have access to digital services.

As child participation is very close to my heart,

we are also building, together with children, and our partners,

an EU Child Participation Platform

which has a strong online dimension.

In all our work we strive to ensure that children’s rights apply online,

as they apply offline.

We are joining forces and ideas for a better and safer internet

with equal opportunities and exciting discoveries for every child.

And we count on all of you!