Young people highlight that AI and digital platforms are shaping their daily lives, but also raise concerns about misleading content, the difficulty of identifying AI-generated material, the blurring between reality and the digital world, as well as platforms monetising users’ data and attention.  They also point to the negative social effects of being online, including peer pressure, harmful self-comparison, and a growing sense of surveillance, alongside increasingly polarised spaces that can discourage participation.

This is why they call for stronger regulation, greater transparency, better digital literacy, and more accountability from tech companies, governments, and media. They also emphasise the need to involve young people in technology design, create safer and age-appropriate online spaces, consider minimum age rules for social media, and support the development of European digital services that reflect EU values. 

 The European Commission has put in place policies and initiatives, such as the Digital Services Act, which requires platforms to mitigate risks to users, including minors, alongside the Action Plan against cyberbullying, which aims to create safer online environments for young people. 

The topics of the discussion were also linked to the upcoming Tech Sovereignty Package which aims to advance European technologies, reduce Europe's dependency on non-EU players and ensure respect of EU standards and principles.

Do you agree with the measures proposed by young people? Are there additional actions the EU should consider?