EU Agrees to Ban AI Nudifying Tools and AI-Generated CSAM
A reflection on this major step forward
After intense and sustained advocacy by child rights organisations, the European Union agreed last week to ban AI systems that can nudify or are capable of generating child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The agreement marks an important milestone in recognising the harms posed by AI systems that can generate sexual content, particularly for children and young […]
Joint Statement on the End of EU Legal Basis to Detect CSA
Europe is switching its detection of child sexual abuse online off BRUSSELS – Because of political gridlock, from 3 April 2026, online service providers in the European Union will no longer be able to detect child sexual abuse material on their platforms. A letter signed by over 245 organisations working to advance children’s rights and […]
Legal Uncertainty on CSAM Detection: What the EU’s Delay Means for Child Protection
On Monday, EU countries and lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on extending the interim derogation that allows online platforms to voluntarily detect and remove child sexual abuse material. Back when the e-Privacy Regulation was negotiated, EU policy-makers already saw the value of proactive detection to prevent the dissemination of child sexual abuse online. This […]
EU Action Plan on Cyberbullying: A Timely Step to Protect Children Online
Last month, the European Commission launched the EU Action Plan Against Cyberbullying, committing to review digital legislation to better address this issue. This initiative is extremely timely, as European child helplines recorded an average of 216 contacts per day related to bullying in 2024 alone. And it is only getting worse, often overlapping with other […]
Letter to the European Commission on Children’s Online Protection
Calling for children’s voices to shape EU digital policy
In December, Child Helpline International, together with our national members Børns Vilkår (Denmark) and BRIS (Sweden), sent a letter to President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission calling for children’s voices to be placed at the centre of EU policymaking on online safety. Drawing on direct insights from millions of contacts to child […]
Promising Next Steps for EU Tech Policy to Protect Children’s Digital Rights
Last week marked a significant milestone in the EU’s approach to ensuring children’s digital safety, as both the Council and the European Parliament made important decisions that will influence how young people experience online spaces in the years ahead. After years of stalled negotiations, the Council of the European Union reached a joint position on the proposed Child Sexual […]