European Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Children

On 12th May 2026, European Commission President participated in the European Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Children.

The President gave a keynote speech in which she highlighted Europe's urgent need to protect children in the digital age, addressing both the opportunities and severe risks—such as mental health harms, addiction, and exploitation—posed by social media and AI-driven business models that prioritise profit over child safety.

She emphasised Europe's proactive role, through laws like the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, in holding tech giants accountable, while proposing further measures. Such include a potential social media age delay (e.g., a minimum age of 16) and robust age verification tools to shield children during their most vulnerable years.

The President called for "safety by design" in digital platforms, stronger media literacy, and collective responsibility—from parents to policymakers—to empower children to navigate the online world critically and resiliently.