The Luxembourg competition authority has launched a consultation process regarding new guidelines for the protection of minors online, as part of the Digital Services Act (DSA). Interested individuals and organizations can submit their opinions until June 10.

The proposed guidelines aim to assist platforms that are accessible to minors in ensuring a high level of privacy, safety, and security for children and adolescents. They outline various recommended protective measures that platforms should implement from the design stage.

This initiative is the result of extensive research, consultations, and workshops involving various stakeholders, including children, platform providers, civil society experts, and academics. The authority has collaborated closely with digital services coordinators through the European Digital Services Committee and its working group focused on the protection of minors.

All interested parties, including children, parents, guardians, national authorities, online platform providers, and experts, are encouraged to share their views via the Commission's 'EUSurvey' portal. As the digital services coordinator in Luxembourg, the competition authority is actively involved in drafting these guidelines, which are expected to be published in the summer of 2025.

In parallel, the Commission is working on a temporary age verification application for users, pending the rollout of a digital identity wallet expected by the end of 2026. This application will utilize the same technology as the EU wallet, allowing online service providers to verify user age without compromising privacy.

The Digital Services Act (DSA) primarily aims to ensure a safe and responsible online environment. It imposes rules on online intermediary services, with additional specific obligations for very large platforms that reach over 10% of the 450 million consumers in Europe.