The impulse to protect children from the darker corners of the internet has increasingly manifested as a series of legislative walls. From Australia to the United Kingdom, and more recently in Greece, policymakers are racing to implement age-based restrictions on social media. However, the Council of Europe is now urging a more measured approach, warning that blanket bans may inadvertently compromise the fundamental digital rights of minors while failing to actually secure their safety.
In a set of guidelines adopted on April 8, the Council argues that total exclusion from digital platforms risks infringing upon a child’s freedom of expression and their access to essential information. The concern is not merely philosophical but systemic: when mainstream platforms are barred, young users often migrate to the digital margins. In these less-regulated environments, the risks of exploitation and harm are often higher, and the oversight provided by established safety tools is absent.
This critique is echoed by the scientific community and advocacy groups like Save the Children, who suggest that rushed policy decisions often ignore the "digital lifeline" these platforms provide. For marginalized youth, in particular, the internet is frequently the only space where they can find specialized support and community. By removing access, the state may be dismantling the very safety nets these children rely on, replacing a manageable risk with a more profound isolation.
With reporting from Olhar Digital.
Source · Olhar Digital
