The European Union is taking steps to crack down on online child sexual abuse material and grooming, by proposing a new law that would force digital companies to find, report and remove such content from their platforms. The law would also require companies to verify the age of their users and to be more transparent about their algorithms and targeted advertisements.
New law aims to protect children online
The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, unveiled the draft law on Wednesday, following a surge in online child sexual abuse during the coronavirus pandemic. According to the U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 85 million such videos and images were produced last year, but the scale of the problem is likely to be underestimated, as up to 95 percent of the content was voluntarily reported by one company.
The new law would oblige digital companies, such as Google, Apple, Meta’s WhatsApp and Instagram, and TikTok, to proactively detect, report and remove online child sexual abuse material and grooming on their platforms, or face fines of up to 6 percent of their global revenue. The law would also empower regulators and courts to order internet service providers to block websites or links with such content, and to mandate risky services to scan their content for a specific period of time.
The Commission said the law would balance the protection of children online with the respect for fundamental rights, such as privacy and freedom of expression. The law would also ensure that the companies use the least intrusive technology possible, and that they inform users about the measures they take and the remedies they have.
EU industry chief to ask YouTube and TikTok for details on measures protecting minors
In addition to the new law, EU industry chief Thierry Breton will send a request to YouTube and TikTok on Friday, asking them to provide information on how they comply with the existing EU online content rules regarding the protection of children. The rules, known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), require Big Tech to do more to fight harmful and illegal online content, especially content that targets minors.
The DSA also forces the companies to be more transparent on their algorithmic processes, bots and targeted advertisements that amplify content and do more to tackle illegal, unsafe or counterfeit products sold on their platforms. Breton’s request is part of a series of inquiries he plans to send to major online platforms, to monitor their compliance with the DSA and to identify any gaps or shortcomings.
EU calls for global cooperation to fight online child sexual abuse
The EU’s efforts to fight online child sexual abuse are part of a broader global campaign, involving international organizations, law enforcement agencies, civil society groups and the private sector. The EU has also supported the development of a global voluntary network of hotlines, where people can report online child sexual abuse material and receive support.
The EU has also urged other countries to join the Global Alliance against Child Sexual Abuse Online, a coalition of 61 countries that was launched in 2012, to enhance cooperation and coordination in the prevention, investigation and prosecution of online child sexual abuse. The EU has also called for the adoption of a binding international instrument to criminalize online child sexual abuse and to facilitate cross-border cooperation and mutual legal assistance.
The EU’s Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said that the detection, reporting and removal of online child sexual abuse material is urgently needed to prevent the sharing of images and videos of the sexual abuse of children, which retraumatizes the victims often years after the abuse has ended. She also said that the EU is committed to working with its partners around the world to end this horrific crime and to protect the rights and dignity of children online.
