Albright Stage | Safe by Design: Building a Better Internet for Children

Children today navigate a digital world rich with opportunity but also exposure to grooming, harmful content, and manipulative design. Europe is already responding: the DSA's guidelines on protecting minors are setting new expectations for platforms, and the Commission's Special Panel on child safety online is actively shaping the next wave of policy. Momentum is real — and it is accelerating. Alongside this, the private sector is moving. Platforms and technology companies are developing smarter age assurance tools, refining content moderation at scale, and rethinking how privacy and safety are built into their products. The challenge now is making sure these efforts are coordinated, ambitious, and focused on what actually works for children. Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, European Commission Thomas Seifert, Editor in Chief, European Voices Willemijn Aerdts, Minister for the Digital Economy and Sovereignty of the Netherlands Noeline Blackwell, Online Safety Coordinator, Children's Rights Group David Wheeldon, Head of EMEA Government Affairs and Public Policy, YouTube